Clarkie's Choice
by Crazy Danae
Summary: The comics have looked at alternate realities... but how did they come about? This is my take on it. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** I just realized that aspects of this are similar to "A Sun Goddess?" but it was meant in an entirely different way… as I hope will become apparent. Thank you, returning readers, for your loyalty and encouragement. I've been finding this whole experience very fulfilling… but now I just have to remember to work on my original fiction as consistently as I try to do these! ;D_

_If you wonder where I come up with my ideas… Well, let's just say this one was a dream that really hung on the night after. But that's where I seem to find my best inspiration. My sub-conscious doesn't censor any of the fantastic images my imagination can come up with._

_The title came because of the movie "Sophie's Choice". Does that have anything to do with this fic? Nope… not a bit. But I just needed to say it in case anyone was curious…_

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything in the Smallville or Superman universe. Can you imagine the royalties if I did?_

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Clarkie's Choice

**Chapter 1**

The hot, muggy day was punctuated by muttered cursing as hay bales were tossed to the ground at an astounding rate. Your average passersby might be shocked at the energy being displayed where most people of sound mind had retreated into their shady homes for any relief they could discover. No one had been prepared for such a heat wave that was abnormally early in the year. Clark Kent brushed off the heat like an annoying gnat, but it definitely didn't improve his mood. Only his early training by Jonathan Kent prevented him from dashing the hay bales to the ground with all of his enormous strength.

He was puzzled by his current attitude. Normally, he was pretty even keeled, so this nebulous grouchiness was beyond any previous experience. He thought he could blame it on his lack of sleep the night before. For some reason, he hadn't been able to settle due to disturbing images in his dreams. But that seemed too trite an answer due to the fact that he'd spent many late nights with Chloe in pursuit of her ever-hovering expose. All he really knew was that he'd woken up tired and exhausted with no relief in sight.

"Hiya, farm boy!" The voice grated through him as Lois practically skipped into the barn. He still couldn't understand why she was still hanging around Smallville. After all, her main reason for even coming there was to find Chloe two years ago. But instead of going back to her previous life, she had inexplicably hung around. Clark found that inconceivable… especially considering that her search for her cousin had been the only time she'd come to visit during the previous four years Chloe had been living in Smallville.

He desperately wanted to shout at her to leave him alone… to go back to her life where she could boss everyone around and they expected it… He was sure that General Lane would prefer her in college than working as his mother's Chief of Staff. Even as he opened his mouth to say all of these things, he stopped and sighed. It was like he could see the shade of Jonathan Kent hovering just behind Lois with an indulgent smile, but still shaking his head so Clark would mind his manners. "Hey, Lois," he said, almost despondently.

He realized that he should have put more effort into being indifferent when he saw the excited gleam enter her eyes. "What's wrong, Smallville?" she drawled, donning a look of mocking sympathy. "Lana got your panties in a twist again?"

He had to grit his teeth at that. He was still mourning his relationship with Lana, even though _he_ was the one who had ended things. Chloe had tried to be sympathetic, but Lois… Well, Lois seemed to feel that any suffering he felt because of it was entirely due him. He just looked at Lois, not trusting himself to speak.

"Oh, come on, Clark!" She put her hands on her hips and lost all pretense of being sympathetic. "You deserve it after putting her through that. Apparently, that little fling with Simone totally opened your eyes and you wanted to play the field. But you couldn't do that with Lana hanging around casting sad eyes at you with every indiscretion, so you broke it off. It was a total guy thing to do, which isn't surprising. But your apparent need to still have her at your beck and call…"

Clark broke. He could not take this from a girl that didn't know anything about the true situation. "Lois, just shut up! You don't know what you're talking about and your pose of the sophisticated older woman just shows how inexperienced you really are. I don't know why you even bother trying to give me advice when your own love life is the type they make Harlequin Romances out of!"

Lois seemed shocked at his outburst. He wasn't really surprised. They'd had their fights before, but he'd never broken after only three volleys before. He sighed again and opened his mouth to say the apology he knew he shouldbut really didn't feel. She waved him silent angrily. "Save it, toddler. You have no idea what you're talking about… Besides, I have better things to do than chew the fat with a petulant adolescent." With that, she stalked out the door, her long hair swinging angrily behind her.

He watched her for a moment and watched her head up to the main house. He groaned. In two seconds, his mother was going to know what was going on and then the fat would truly be in the fire. Dejectedly, he climbed slowly to his loft, plopped on the sofa, and put his head in his hands. What he hated more than anything was that Lois was right. He was still upset about breaking up with Lana and he had no one but himself to blame. But he'd never felt that he could be honest with her about his birth and powers… and how could they have a relationship with that standing in the way?

Everything had come to a head after Jor-El had turned back time and he'd discovered that he'd exchanged Lana's life for his father's. Deep down, he'd expected Jor-El to take his life in exchange. After all, it was due to Gabriel shooting him that the whole situation had come about. He still wasn't exactly certain how Jor-El, a decades dead Kryptonian from half a galaxy away, could effect such changes, but his biological father had done things like that before.

He sighed and could feel his eyes closing in exhaustion. He considered giving in and taking a nap but knew there was a lot more work to be done. He trudged down the steps to start his chores again. But as he broke three pitchforks, a winch system that Jonathan had installed just weeks before his death, two stall gates, and bent two titanium screwdrivers Lex had gifted him, he wanted to scream in irritation but took a deep breath to try and gather some calm about him. But he felt like his energy was being sapped away and that left him feeling even more frustrated.

Finally, he decided that enough was enough. He threw the latest destroyed tool to the ground and stomped back up to his loft. He didn't want to face Lois or his mother yet… He wasn't awake enough for that. Instead, he decided to just lie down and rest for a moment or two. He hadn't really planned on _actually_ falling asleep, but he was gone as soon as he hit the sofa.

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A/N: I'm very excited for a new fan fic… especially considering that I'm currently blocked on "The Sun Goddess?" I know that the Superman comics have done quite a bit with the alternate universes and I think any "Smallville" fan would have to admit that "Smallville" has its own little universe. After all, he wasn't supposed to meet Lois until he got his job at the Daily Planet and was actively being Superman.** I'm very excited for a new fan fic… especially considering that I'm currently blocked on "The Sun Goddess?" I know that the Superman comics have done quite a bit with the alternate universes and I think any "Smallville" fan would have to admit that "Smallville" has its own little universe. After all, he wasn't to meet Lois until he got his job at the Daily Planet and was actively being Superman._

_So in this incarnation of Danae's off-kilter mind, I wanted to look at the different options and how I would think they would/could go. But this is my vision… not who the PTB at "Smallville" feel about their creation, so you can disagree with me on what you think. ;D_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** I'm sure you're wondering where I'm going with this right now… but I'm not going to tell you. It's WAY too early for that… and it would ruin the suspense. ;D_

_Just as an FYI, these may be fairly short chapters throughout… We'll have to see…_

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Chapter 2

Clark had never been what you might call a sudden waker, but he snapped awake as if he was coming up from a nightmare. He wondered briefly at how late it apparently was and how he'd gotten to his bed. He blushed as he realized he was all but naked under the covers. He looked around and realized that nothing in the room matched what was in his room and he began to really worry.

_Maybe someone drugged me and that's why I was so tired,_ Clark thought, trying desperately not to hyperventilate in panic. He wondered if he was a captive somewhere. Making as little noise as possible, he scanned his surroundings. He was in a fairly spacious room with a comfortable king-sized bed. His bare chest felt caressed by the most luxurious sheets he'd ever slept in. _If this is me being captive… maybe it's not so bad. It just doesn't make sense._ He reached up to turn on a light and misjudged where the lamp would be. He heard a crunch of metal and the breaking of glass. _Good job, Kent. Just totally blow any chance you had of surprising who did this to you!_

Before he could think of what he would do when the guards burst into the room, a decidedly feminine arm swung over his chest. The owner of the arm groaned, "Clark, I swear! This is the third lamp this week! You're going to put us in the poor house at this rate!"

Clark went from confusion to panic in .08 seconds. He had barely been able to restrain his decidedly unmanly squeal of panic, but that was about it. The voice sounded oddly familiar, but he needed the lights on to confirm it. He wasn't absolutely positive he wanted his fears confirmed, but he had to know. He raced to the door frame and flipped the switch.

Dark blonde hair with tousled curls cascaded over the edge of the covers before the head was covered by a pillow blocking out the light. "Cla-a-ark!" she whined, her muffled voice carrying to him easily. "Do you _know_ what time it is?"

He glanced at the clock by the bed… _our bed?_... and replied warily, "3:15?"

"Don't make it sound like a question, Smallville. You're more self-assured than that, for crying out loud!" She sat up, holding the sheets up and Clark was horrified to see that she was apparently wearing nothing but said sheet. He snapped his eyes shut but knew the image would be burned in his brain forever… and not in a good way. She laughed. "You're blushing like a school boy, Clark! Like you haven't seen it before!"

He could feel himself blushing even harder. He cracked open his eyes and looked just above her head. "I… I… I know…" He could barely choke out the words. His mouth felt as if it had been packed with sand.

"Ne'ermind," she said airly. "Your innocence and naivety is one of the reasons why I love you." She made to get out of the bed. Clark squeaked in panic, but she wasn't listening to him. Thankfully, she didn't get very far out of bed before turning to him again. "Is there a disaster somewhere that Kal-El has to get to?" She angled a smile at him, but he felt like his world had dropped out from under him.

He felt like he was going to vomit. Hearing his birth name trip off her lips so easily increased his anxiety, worry and confusion ten-fold. How in the world would Lois know **_that_** name? "Who's that?" he asked, trying to seem innocent, since that's something she said she liked about him.

She grunted and shot him a look that could have turned him to stone if he hadn't already been petrified. "Would you please be serious? You look at him every time you glance in the mirror…"

His mind was stunned into submission and all he could do was glance around the room. Nothing seemed familiar to him… He had nothing from home here… It did, however, have a distinctly modern flair that absolutely screamed "Lois". He happened to glance in a mirror and realized that he was standing in front of Lois… Lois Lane… in his birthday suit! Never, in his wildest nightmares, had this ever happened to him before… well, at least that he remembered. Another shriek burst from him and he covered himself with the first thing that came to hand… an oddly out-of-place and over-sized stuffed Tigger. A part of him wondered where she got it.

Lois laughed again and he could actually see tears coming from her eyes. He couldn't believe she was laughing when this was so abnormal. "Crap! You haven't been _this_ shy around me since you were 18!"

"How old am I now?" he asked before he realized how weird that would sound to her. Sometimes he wished he had a button that would let him rewind when he said something stupid.

All traces of laughter drained from her face as she became more and more concerned. "You're 33, of course. Clark… What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing… Nothing…" he was trying to reassure her, but it didn't seem like he was succeeding. After all, he was covering himself with Tigger when she's seen all of it before… He wondered briefly if he should ask exactly what their relationship was. _Duh, Clark!_ he screamed at himself. _You're both naked in her apartment. What do you think your relationship is?_ "I'm just confused from a bad dream, I think," he offered lamely. She shrugged and accepted his reasoning without further questioning. _Now I know I'm in the Twilight Zone!_

She smiled at him and leaned back against the pillows. "So, can I go back to sleep now or do I need to head to the Planet to cover your exploits?"

Clark gaped at her for a moment. "You? **_You_** work at the Planet?"

"Of course I do," she said impatiently, "and so do you! Are you sure you didn't bump your head on some kryptonite?"

"But… Does Chloe work with us too?" Clark was so confused that he was totally unprepared for Lois to burst into tears at the mention of Chloe's name. "Wha… What did I say?" He edged over to the bed and patted her leg. He flipped the bedspread over him so he could finally get rid of the stuffed animal. "I'm sorry, Lois. Did you and Chlo have a big fight or somethin'?"

"Clark," she sobbed softly, "maybe you should see Dr. Hamilton in the morning…" She was looking at him as if he'd grown another head and he knew another unwelcome revelation was in the works. "Chloe's been dead for ten years…" He could only look at her in shock. Chloe d… No! He couldn't believe it! "Clark?" Lois asked, her hand reaching for his.

He jerked away from her as if she had a kryptonite ring on. He knew that his actions were hurting her, but to feel her touch would just confirm that this was real. "Lois, I'm sorry. That dream just totally freaked me out and I can't shake it."

She smiled at him softly, but he could see a never-ending sorrow in her eyes. "It happens to all of us sometimes. I know you didn't mean anything by it. Even though it's been ten years today, I still miss her. I always wonder what would have happened if I'd been able to be there… to help her. But she was so stubborn when she was on the trail of a story. She's really the reason why I got into journalism in the first place…"

Clark had to get out of there… hopefully without hurting Lois any more than he already had. "Uh, Lois," he interrupted gently. "Why don't you go back to sleep? I'm going to grab a glass of warm milk. Maybe that'll get my head back to where it's supposed to be."

She laughed and he felt a bit of relief. Lois rarely if ever cried in front of him and this softer version of her was totally unnerving. "Okay, Clark. But come back to bed soon, all right? You know I never sleep right if you're not beside me…" He could feel his gorge rise a little at the thought. Not that she wasn't beautiful and everything, but it just seemed immoral somehow. "And we have that deadline in the morning. If we're late, Perry's never going to forgive us." He nodded, while his head spun at the thought of a man named Perry in charge of the Daily Planet. Could it possibly be that muckraker Perry White? He put the thought aside because his mind couldn't take on one more puzzle.

He tugged the bedspread off the bed, which still gave her some covering and moved out of the room. His brain noted blankly that they must make terribly good money to have this nice of an apartment in what appeared to be downtown Metropolis. And it seemed to be impeccably decorated. He didn't understand anything that was going on and he felt like he was twisting in a whirlwind of confusion.

Finally, he sat down on the sofa and his brain allowed him to think of what was distressing him the most. Did Chloe actually die? Why hadn't he been there to save her? Had it been painful? The burning in his chest felt like it was taking him entirely over. She had been his rock, especially when she'd found out about his heritage and he found out that she knew. To have her not be around… somewhere on the planet… was simply unacceptable. He could feel the tears burning in his eyes and he slid down the sofa until he was curled up into a fetal position. He closed his eyes and his head spun with guilt and accusations. But even amidst all the pain, he slid into an uneasy sleep.

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A/N: I received a warning from a reviewer that my Author's Notes might be getting a little long which might cause my stories to be removed. It's not that I disbelieve this person, but, PTB, please let me know if this is true. I don't want to break the rules, but I do like giving personal shout outs to those kind enough to review. Thanks! **_

_iluvsmallville1: Well, I'm glad the beginning really caught your interest. This one shouldn't be my usual tongue-in-cheek fare, but you know I can't keep it entirely out. I am doing a bit of writing ahead, so I should be able to do pretty frequent updates…_

_Chlark4ever92: Thank you for joining us. I'm pretty excited about this one because it kinda' departs from my norm… unless by "norm" you say something other than a Smallville FanFic. ;D_

_markmark261: Silly boy! Of course you'll see some A.U.s when Clark wakes up… The last chapter was just an introduction! ;D Of course, this all came to me in a dream, so we'll see how coherent I can make it. (Cue mystical music here.)_

_joesarah97: I love alternate realities as well… and I consider Smallville one of those… ;D I'm not permanently stalled on Goddess, but I was having some trouble. I'll probably be doing a sequel at some point…_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:** And the story goes on…_

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Chapter 3

"You're so lazy, Smallville! Get up!" Lois was shaking him awake and he didn't feel rested at all. Was she mad at him about the Chloe thing still?

Clark groaned in irritation. For crying out loud, he'd just gotten into the living room. He didn't want to yell and upset her again, but he was so tired! "I'll get up in a second," he muttered with just a hint of petulance.

"What happened to your vaunted farm boy ethics of timeliness?" she growled. "Get up right now!"

Clark cracked his eyes blurrily and looked up at Lois. "Listen… go on without me… I won't miss the deadline and, if I happen to be late, you can call me at the apartment. You can even blame everything on me to Perry…"

"As much as I would like to do that, who's Perry? Clark, did you hit your head? Your mom wants you to come in to dinner. The longer you dawdle, the colder my food is going to get and then you're totally dead." Clark widened his eyes and truly focused on her. She did seem younger than she had a few minutes before and she definitely had that "You're an idiot!" look on her face. "Listen, I know you want to sleep the day away but…"

"Where's Chloe?" he interrupted. Gripped in an overwhelming urgency, he had to know if it really _had_ just been some sort of weird nightmare.

"She's at school, of course." Lois sat beside him on the sofa and patted his knee. He knew he was back to reality when she started talking to him like an enfeebled two-year-old. "Remember, Clark… She hadn't gotten blown up in that safe house. We saved her from that freak of nature…"

Clark just shook his head and stood up. "Nevermind. Mom's waiting…" Lois looked offended at yet another interruption, but her stomach ruled over her mouth for once.

As they walked into the house, Clark realized he was feeling extremely groggy still. He wondered if it was because of his reaction to Chloe's possible death or because he had taken a nap in the middle of the day. What he knew for sure was that he wasn't going to tell them about his nightmare… no matter how real it had seemed at the time. His mother would just be worried and Lois would take it the wrong way… like he was wishing for Chloe's death, a relationship with her, or something even more dire. Deciding that, he felt a weight drop off his shoulders. It would certainly help him eat in relative peace…

He tucked into his mother's world-famous pot roast as if he hadn't eaten in a week. Not only did he feel like he was starving, it also kept his mouth busy so he didn't have to join in the conversation. He reviewed the dream that was still surprisingly clear in his mind. It had been nice to be in a relationship with someone who knew his deepest, darkest secrets… but that the someone had been Lois had filled him with a feeling of wrongness. It also didn't help that he wanted to run to Metropolis right now to make sure Chloe was, in fact, fine.

He let these thoughts circle in the back of his head, but he decided that it would be polite to pay more attention to what was going on around him. As if her every action was held under a microscope for his inspection, he realized that she was looking his way quite a bit, but when he went to look at her, she'd blush and turn away. It was truly bizarre but it seemed that his dream held a measure of truth in it after all. Maybe his subconscious had recognized it and was trying to let him know.

He looked at Lois with unveiled eyes. It was true that she was very attractive. In fact, he'd thought he could like her in a romantic way a number of times. Her hair was truly lovely and her eyes seemed to see through everyone's B.S., which he always admired. Maybe it would have been different if they'd only met briefly, but after two years of her living at the Kent farm more often than not, she was firmly in the sister position.

_Do I tell her?_ he wondered briefly. He was so sick and tired of having to hide everything all the time that he wanted to at least put it out there… and the sooner the better. _But how do I do that and not be a conceited jerk?_

Dinner passed fairly peacefully and he helped clear the table. "Hey, Lois. Why don't we take a little break outside? The sun's about to set…" She rolled her eyes at him, but that didn't stop her from immediately turning toward the door. _You know, I never realized how often she put herself in situations right around me… Why didn't I see this before?_

They sat on the porch swing together. The night still pulsated with the day's heat and even the dusk animals like frogs and crickets seemed to know better than to be out in it. But while the temperature wasn't the most comfortable, the sunset was outstanding. Brilliant golds filled the sky as the sun dropped lower in the sky, fading into sparkling blues so dark as to seem black. It was an evening to restore peace to a person's soul… and Clark was loath to break it with his theory.

"This is really nice," Lois sighed, subtly edging closer to Clark and leaning against him ever so slightly.

He resisted the impulse to pull away. It wasn't necessarily unpleasant, but he knew that what he felt wasn't what she wanted. "Yeah," he said distantly. "You know, Lois… I'm glad you're here."

"You are?" she gasped, her voice taking on a hopeful breathless quality. She turned her face toward his leaning in.

"Yeah." He took a deep breath. "I never realized how much I missed having a sister growing up…"

Lois reared back and the light from inside fell on her face. Clark saw the pain in her eyes. "A sister?" she whispered. It was almost too much and briefly made him want to take it back.

A vision of his dream drifted across his mind and his resolve stiffened. He'd been leery of taking friendships to the next step before and he didn't want to risk it now. He honestly did feel very brotherly towards her and couldn't imagine it mutating into something different. Plus, there was no way to know what caused Chloe's death. Maybe she was in danger alone because he'd been involved with her cousin… Maybe she'd gotten really depressed about their relationship and he hadn't noticed. The maybes weren't worth discounting.Silently, he acknowledged that he may be closing a door on something amazing in his future but it just didn't feel right… so he jumped in with both feet. "Yeah. We fight all the time just like I imagined I would with my bossy baby sister… You're always messing with my stuff. We compete for my mother's attention…"

Abruptly, Lois stood. Clark had to halt the resultant forward swing so he didn't slam into her. "And you're just as insufferable as any little brother could be! You know… Sometimes I just can't **_stand_** you!" She stalked off to her car, not even bothering to say goodbye to his mother.

He stood and shook his head sadly. He hadn't really wanted to hurt her feelings, but holding back only seemed to make everyone hurt worse later. He wandered into the house, stretching his jaw with a yawn.

"Clark, are you all right?" Martha asked him. "Lois said you were sleeping in the barn when she came to get you for dinner."

"I'm fine, Mom," he yawned. He blinked blearily at her, hardly able to keep his eyes open. "I've just had a really rough day… haven't been sleeping well…"

She came up to him and stood on her tiptoes to feel his forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever. You haven't been experimenting with those meteor rocks again, have you?"

He shook his head. "You'd kill me if I did," he smiled.

"Darn right!" she laughed. She looked at him again and just shrugged. "Maybe you're going through another growth spurt. Listen, you leave the dishes to me and get some sleep."

"Are you sure, Mom?" Every cell in his body was screaming for it, but he didn't want to neglect his duty to her.

She nodded fiercely. "The last thing I need you to do, honey, is break more dishes." She took his arm and twirled him around and practically shoved him up the stairs. "Usually, if you're tired, there's a reason. So go get some sleep!"

"I love you, Mom," he smiled as he trudged upstairs.

"I know, baby. I love you too." With that, he was dismissed and she turned to do the dishes, humming merrily.

He shook his head with a smile. Her good moods hadn't happened as frequently lately after Jonathan Kent had died. The guilt still stung his soul when he thought about it and he angrily brushed away a bitter tear. He'd never intended to trade Lana's life for his father's, but he hadn't realized the consequences at the time. He focused on his mother for a bit to distract himself. She had been working so hard to take over Jonathan's seat in the Senate that she rarely had time to do the things she really enjoyed anymore. He wished sometimes that he could help her more… take some of the burdens off of her shoulders…

He nearly crashed through his door as he reached his bedroom. His feet had been dragging along the hallway and he barely had the energy to twist the doorknob open. He kicked off his shoes and threw himself on his bed, unconscious before he actually felt his sheets…

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A/N: Mondays or Fridays… I suppose I could try and update Saturday or Sunday, but that would just be silly! At least I'm not waiting 2 or 3 weeks, right? **_

_Locathah: You're absolutely right… Killing Chloe isn't typically my style… Hmmm… ;D And thanks for the input about the booting off. I'm trying to abide by the rules, but when I read that, I had to ask._

_CSLUVSCK: No worries. "The Sun Goddess" has a few more chapters to go. But don't think this'll be a Clois… 'cause Danae don't play that! ;D_

_markmark261: Thank you for the reassurance. I feel so much better! (And OY with the grammar errors!) I do blame his not noticing her aging features (not saying wrinkles or anything, but who really looks like they did at 20 at 35?) for having just woken up… and all the trauma about being naked in front of her…_

_timeends: Thank you for the reassurance and encouragement. I only hope you continue to enjoy this… :D_

_Chlark4ever92: No worries about Chloe… but I can't say too much! ;D The thing with Lois is that she NEEDS a motivation for starting journalism. She has yet to show any interest in it and I have to say I'm getting kinda' cranky about that as the seasons progress._

_iluvsmallville1: You know what I love best? It's when my reviewers from other stories come to my new ones. That kinda' loyalty and interest is GOLD! Just wait 'til next chappy! Muwhahahahaha!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:** There is some swearing in this chapter… just a touch…_

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Chapter 4

"Clark Kent, get up right now! If we lose any milk because of your laziness, you will never hear the end of it!" The sharp voice pierced straight through his haze of sleep, but he resisted actually waking up with all his might. He still didn't feel refreshed…

"Mom, it feels like I just got to bed… I'll be up in five more minutes, okay?" he mumbled, turning his head into his pillow to block out the light.

"I wish I was your mother!" the voice screeched in fury, ripping off his covers and the pillow from between his hands. "Then I could kick you out of the house and sell this damn farm!"

He realized suddenly that his mother could never sound like that and groaned. Was this another nightmare? He looked up into a face that was beet red with anger and he gasped as he realized that it was Lana Lang standing before him, looking as if she wished she could rip out every hair on his head. "Lana, what are you doing in my house?" he asked, still half-asleep.

"It's half mine, you moron… and after spending my inheritance on fixing it up, I refuse to leave that kind of investment behind…" She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. "Unless you've been holding out on me and actually took a second job or robbed the Second National Bank of Metropolis…"

He looked at her in horror and sat up. Remembering his last dream, he looked down quickly and was relieved to see he was actually wearing pajamas. "Lana, why would I rob…?"

She turned her back on him. "Of course you wouldn't. Mr. Clark Kent is too high and mighty to do something that would support his wife in the manner to which she had become accustomed…"

He held out his hand to stop her and noticed the small band of gold on his hand. "Married?" he choked. For a brief moment, he felt an incredulous joy surround him… but then he looked at Lana's prematurely lined and unhappy face and that he was sleeping in his old room with a double bed…

"No shit, Sherlock!" she spat.

He could only look at her in shock. He had never seen her looking so angry before. If she didn't have the faint remnants of her teenage beauty, he never would have recognized her. He stood and gently grasped her arm. "Lana, why are you so angry at me? What did I do?"

She looked at him with death in her eyes. "Do you really want to know? Are you finally prepared to listen?" At his nod, she shoved him back down on the bed. "You lied to me for years… I begged you and begged you to tell me your secret. But did you tell me? Not until after we were married, you bastard! And then it was too late!"

He gulped. This was one of his worst nightmares come true. "Lana, I can't tell you how many times I wanted to tell you…"

She slapped him as hard as she could across the face. "Save it. You've said it before and I won't hear it again. That's one of the reasons why we've been in this agonizing marriage for fifteen years! You blame me for your father's death! And you won't leave this cursed farm!" Tears sprang to her eyes, but she was too much in her rant to care. "We're rotting away in Smallville and you have never loved me enough to try and get us out of here!"

He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't blame you for Dad's death, Lana," he said softly. "I blame me." She just looked at him with her mouth pinched shut, unwilling to give an inch. "Where's my mom?"

She laughed bitterly. "Martha? Oh, she must be touring the cathedrals of Rome by now. How I wish I had her life! If only I'd stayed with Lex, I could have had the life she has with Lionel now!"

Clark felt his gorge rise at that revelation. "Mom and Lionel Luthor? Have you gone insane?"

"No… Apparently you have." She muttered to herself, "I could get a divorce due to mental illness… then he couldn't contest it…"

"Lana… Lana!" He wanted to shake her back to her old self. "How old are we?"

"How much did you drink last night? Did you crack your head on the ceiling beam again?"

He grimaced at her and shook his head. "Just answer the question…"

"We're 33, of course," she screamed. "Not that you look it! You still look like you're 18! It's not fair!"

He looked around his room. This was worse than a nightmare. He pinched himself hard, but did nothing other than slightly indent his skin with a nail. He wondered about his dreams of maybe a journalistic career and maybe helping people where needed. "Do I at least help people when I can?" He felt like he was pleading with her for reassurance… but looking at her face, he wasn't sure why he could even hope for that.

She laughed at him then… practically collapsing to the floor in hysterical mirth. "The only people you have helped in ten years is Jack and Daniels." A sneer crossed her face and he flinched back. "That hero complex of yours bled out years ago. Heaven only knows that you're not a hero to me…"

He couldn't believe it. Why would he turn his back on his community? How could he ignore the pain, suffering, and injustice in the world… especially with all the advantages he'd been given? "What happened to me?" he demanded, practically shouting in his need for answers.

Lana saw through him all too easily and she smiled evilly. "You should realized by now that the last person I would ever help is Clark Kent," she sneered again.

"How did you turn into such a grasping harpy?" he muttered to himself. "Or were you always this way and I couldn't see it? What could our kids…?"

"How dare you?" she screamed insanely and launched herself directly at Clark, knocking him back on the bed in surprise. She attacked him with all her might, using fingernails and teeth in a hopeless attempt to hurt him. He grasped her wrists and tugged her off of him… more in an effort to protect her from any physicalpain than any nebulous concern for himself. When she was secured and realized it, she seemed to collapse in on herself. "How could you, Clark?" she sobbed. "All I ever wanted was to live in a comfortable home and raise beautiful children… and you stole that from me!" She fell silent except for her weeping.

Clark looked at her in horror with a curiousmixture of sympathy. "What are you talking about, Lana?" he asked gently, almost afraid to speak too loudly and set her off again.

She looked at him with such wounded eyesthat it took his breath away. "Our physiology isn't compatible," she said quietly. "You didn't know… couldn't, I suppose. After I went through all the fertility tests, Chloe discovered that it wasn't me… It was you. Our DNA was never meant to combine."

"Chloe?" he whispered, hope filling him again. "Where is she?"

Lana laughed bitterly. "Of course you're thinking about Chloe and not how you destroyed my life. But then, you're always like that today." She looked at him and smiled again. "After all, it _is_ the 10th anniversary of her death… and anniversaries like that are very important."

"No!" he cried, falling back onto the bed and losing his grip on Lana. "It can't be true! That's one of the reasons why… Lois! Where's Lois, Lana?"

Lana's face turned beat red and angry tears ran down her face. "You care about everyone else but me, don't you?" she screamed.

"That's not true," he stuttered. "I l-l-l-l…"

"You can't even say it. I mean it this time, Clark. I'm filing for divorce and if you don't let me go, I'll tell everyone your secret!" She stormed out the room, pausing only to look in the mirror. "I wonder if Lex would take me back," she muttered to herself. "He always did want what belonged to Clark…"

Clark curled back up on the bed, praying that this was actually a dream… a nightmare, truth to be told. His mother actually with Lionel… Lana wasn't herself and heaven only knew what had become of Lex and Lois. But all of those paled in comparison to that which made his heart ache in his chest. Chloe dead? Again? Couldn't he have done anything? _How could this happen?_ he mourned. He turned on his side, refusing to face this reality any further. He closed his eyes and within moments, he fell into a fitful sleep.

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A/N:** I will be totally honest for all of you Lana fans out there… You're not going to be seeing her much in this. I'm not a purist by any measure, but Lana just doesn't really figure that heavily in Clark's future… Sorry… And another short one to boot... Hmmm... _

_Locathah: I know… It's hard, isn't it? I tried to mention my website once (which definitely doesn't compete with this one) and it was bleeped out. Ah, well! Now we know, right? ;D_

_CSLUVSCK: So, do you think I was too harsh on Lois? I just think it's interesting that the PTB say "Look, there's no chance for Chloe to turn into Lois because look here's Lois" when they've really created a roll where they're more siblings than romantic partners… even though they continuously throw in the foreshadowing… My reviewer friend hates that, but I always giggle._

_Chlark4ever92: It will be explained… but my outline says not until at least Chapter 9… Muwhahahahaha!_

_markmark261: I'm so glad you liked it. You can always tell what my personal opinions about the show are, can't you? ;D_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:** Those that can't tell I don't like Lana, please raise your hand… And I just realized that this premise is very similar to an episode of "Smallville" where Clark is sort-of forced into dreaming by a new neighbor girl who was being kept in a coma by her evil uncle… What was the name of that episode? Hmmm… Never mind... I would like to say that this was not based on that episode at all… In fact, it was based on a dream I had… but did I already say that or did I just dream it? ;D_

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Chapter 5

When he felt himself being shaken awake a second time, he could have wept. He kept his eyes firmly shut in rebellion "Lana, if you want the cows milked so damn bad, do it yourself!"

"Clark! Language!" a familiar and oh-so-needed voice admonished him.

His eyes snapped open in relief and he tugged Martha Kent into a huge hug. It was such a relief to not be stuck in that nightmare anymore. It was like he'd given up all of his hopes, dreams and potential to be with Lana. And the woman she turned into… Even now, his stomach twisted into a knot. He buried his face in his mother's hair and surprised himself when he felt tears streaming down his face. He wasn't unable to show his emotions, but this just seemed weak somehow… Such an extreme reaction to a… Well, what was it? Dream? And was it because even in this dream Chloe was dead? Maybe Lois would have been right and he was subconsciously wishing the conflicting emotions he felt about her away…

Martha pulled back from him a moment and looked at him closely. She brushed her fingertips along his cheekbone to wipe away the tears. "Honey, what's wrong? You sounded like you were having quite the bad dream up here…"

It took him a moment to realize that it was still night. "What time is it, Mom?"

She smiled. "Well, you've been up here… what? An hour and a half? The dishes didn't take too long and then I was watching some of my favorite WB shows before they merge with UPN."

He shook his head slowly. That was an answer he definitely hadn't been expecting, but it seemed refreshingly normal. But it was getting to the point where he needed to confide in someone. "Mom, something's going on…" He stopped and swallowed hard. Martha Kent just looked at him calmly and held his hand… his anchor in the ever-swirling storm. But how could he tell her about this? He felt like he was losing his grip on reality and what did he really expect his mother to say? But to share this confusion might help ease it…

With the insight that sometimes surprised Clark, Martha just sat next to him and gently said, "Sweetie, what's wrong?" and then fell silent. It was patient and non-judgmental. If it had been anything else, he wasn't certain he would have been able to get it out.

"Well, you know how I haven't been sleeping well…?" Martha just nodded, somehow knowing that to say anything at this point might have stemmed the tide of revelation. "Well, I've been having these really vivid dreams… It's like they're of my future. First, I was living with Lois and I was some sort of superhero for a profession and then I was still living here and unhappily married to Lana. Mom, it's been awful!"

He trailed off and watched her warily. Realistically, he expected her to brush off the dreams and his concerns… It was possible that was what he really wanted… some reassurance that it was ultimately just his overactive imagination. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times as if unsure what to say. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, "You know I want to tell you that it's all in your head… but I'm not sure if I can or should. We've seen so much…"

"But they're just dreams! I don't want to even think about the possibility of being able to see into the future! It's just ridiculous!"

Martha looked at Clark… troubled. "Son, I agree… but if we don't heed them…"

He stopped her with a sigh. "I know, Mom. I just don't want this. I don't want to see the future. It makes me even more of a freak than I am already!"

She sighed in vexation. "Clark, you are _not_ a freak! You are as normal as a boy in Smallville can be, apparently." She reined her frustration in with some effort, Clark saw, and then logically applied herself to the problem. It was one of the many things Clark admired about her. "So if I'm to have any kind of opinion about our latest problem, you're going to have to tell me exactly what you dreamed about."

Clark took a deep breath and complied with his mother's wishes. The words just seemed to fall from his lips and with every passing second, the weight on his shoulders seemed to lift. Martha had always said that a problem shared is a problem halved, but he hadn't realized how true that was. After his father's death, he'd become even more insular than usual… and that had presented a whole new set of problems. When he trailed to an end, he just watched his mother for a moment, supremely glad that she and Jonathan Kent had been the ones to find and raise him. It was never far from his mind that his life could have been totally different if he'd had someone like Ryan's aunt or the Luthors raising him.

"Was I really in Europe with Lionel?" Martha asked, her face slightly startled at the idea. "And I left you with Lana becoming a harpy?"

Clark shrugged. "All I have is bitter Lana's word for it, but you definitely weren't living here anymore."

"We've only been on a couple dates, Clark… and that was as friends." Martha blushed making the confession.

"Mom, you have to break it off. Lionel's pulled this reformed act too many times for us to completely trust it. We have no idea what he'd do to you…" Clark trailed off. He'd had enough Intro to Psych lessons from Chloe to know that to forbid anything might just push her in the wrong direction.

Martha laughed. "Clark, don't worry. I'm not going to immediately go and sleep with Lionel to show you I can do whatever I want. But we're just friends…"

"Mom, I thought Lois was just my friend until that dream… and I started paying attention. And when I brought up the sibling angle, the dream changed…" He felt desperate to get that through to her. It might be impossible, but if it wasn't…

She looked startled at the comparison. "I… I'm not sure what to say to that, honey." She sighed and smiled. "I think you're being silly about this, especially considering it all may just be extremely vivid dreams, but I'll be careful."

He looked at her for a long moment and nodded. It wasn't like he could insist that she break off all contact with Lionel. After all, she was the parent and he was the child. If anyone was going to do any forbidding around here, it should be her… and considering some of his past judgment calls, it might be better that way.

They heard a clunk below and Martha gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Clark. One of the reasons I came up here was because Lana's downstairs. I think she wants to talk to you." He could only gape at her for a minute. To be honest, he wasn't sure he was ready to see his ex. The taste of her attitudein that dream was enough to send him shaking beneath his bedspread. Martha smiled at him and patted his knee. "You're not going to be able to avoid her forever." He could tell she was sympathetic, but expected him to use the manners she had so painstakingly pounded into him.

He sighed. "I know, Mom. Do you know what she's here for?"

"I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, Clark," she laughed. "If you desperately need some rescuing, I'll be up here folding some laundry."

With heavy steps, he trudged down the stairs. Even more than before, he knew that to continue a relationship with Lana would be wrong for them both. He didn't have any true indication that was her reason for visiting, but considering he'd been _persona non grata_ around her for months, having her show up at his door was extremely suspicious. He mustered up a smile as he reached the living room. He looked at his ex with eyes wide open. She was beautiful, but it was a fragile and demanding beauty. As much as he'd loved her, it had been exhausting to maintain it. He wondered about his previous infatuation and wondered if perhaps he'd loved her so deeply because it was expected that _every_ guy should love her…

He shook himself from getting too morbid. He didn't even know what she wanted and was just getting jumpy because the Lois confrontation had come so close after the dream with her in it. "Hi, Lana. How are you?"

She looked at him with sad eyes and smiled. "I'm okay, Clark. But I needed to talk to you… about us…"

_Crap!_ he thought distractedly. _I was right!_ So now his problem was how to let her down… again. He'd been given too many indications that she wouldn't accept his true self and being with her just hurt everyone involved. But still, jumping in at this point, would be bad… possibly really bad. So he put on his innocent face. "What do you mean?"

She came nearer and looked up at him with a hopeful face. "I've missed you…" She placed her hand on his chest and he had to be careful not to flinch away from her.

He sighed. "Lana, I missed you too…"

"Great," she sighed, coming in for a kiss.

"But I don't think that it would be a good idea."

She reared away from him like he'd struck her. "What do you mean?"

He carefully considered being gentle with her and just stating what their problem had always been. He looked at her and realized that she was stronger than everyone gave her credit for… including him. Plus, taking the feel-good easy way only left them in the limbo they'd been in for three years. "We still have the problem that we always have had… you don't trust me."

She gasped. "I don't trust you? You're the one with the big secrets that you refuse to share with anyone…"

"But they're my secrets, Lana. But you've never respected that and harp at me to tell you. You never seemed to understand that there are some things I just don't feel like I can tell anyone. It's nothing personal… I don't keep them only from you and tell everyone else behind your back. But you've never accepted that. I can't keep having that argument with you." She started pacing between the kitchen and living room and Clark could tell she was ticked. With a flash of insight, he continued, "Besides… I don't think you want to be with me. You're just afraid of being alone."

That stopped her in her tracks and she stared at him as if he was a total stranger. "How could you say that to me? I think I'm being pretty big about the situation considering you're the one who broke up with me…"

"I know, Lana," he said gently. "But why would you come here to get back with me? I know you still have reservations about our relationship… and yet you're ready to jump right back into it." He smiled and tried to pull her to the couch so they could at least be physically comfortable during this emotional roller coaster that had always been their relationship. "You deserve a man who can give you all the attention that you want… lots of beautiful children that look just like you… Someone who could give you everything you've ever wanted…"

"Clark Kent, what kind of drug are you on? Do you really think that's all I want out of life?" She jumped to her feet with both hands on her hips. "You know, I've proved over and over again how selfless I am and caring about other people. Why would the fact that you're on the road to be just a farmer for the rest of your life bother me?"

That's when it hit Clark that he was right… That his dream revealed what that lifestyle would do to Lana. "Just be a farmer?" She had delusions of changing him somehow and he was too tired for this. He also was done mollycoddling her. He wasn't blinded any longer… "Lana, maybe I'm not telling you everything you want me too, but I've never been that smooth. Why don't you just drive over to the mansion and tell Lex what a horrible person I am… It's what you normally do, isn't it?"

"How dare you?" she gasped. She stalked to the backdoor and swung it open. "You know, I'm not going to listen to you be mean to me when I'm doing everything in my power to be understanding. You've never deserved me, Clark. Take a good long look because you'll never have this again!" With a flip of the hair and a slam of the door, she was gone.

"That could have gone better," he muttered to himself. He was still sorry that they were now really over, but in a way, it was a relief. But he still had something he needed to attend to. He sped out the door after writing a quick note to his mother informing that he was off to Metropolis. He had to make sure Chloe was alright. According to his dreams, she still had five years, but he had to know… had to make sure…

In mere moments, he was outside the dorm room she shared with Lana. Even if Lana didn't stop at the Mansion to whine at Lex, he should have a full three hours to check on Chloe… and to tell his side of the story. Knowing Lana, he'd probably be on everyone's blacklist for awhile for hurting Smallville's meteor poster child. Scanning the room, he realized that no one was inside so used the key that Chloe had made him. Normally, he would have called or raced around the campus trying to find her, but the exhaustion was starting to take hold again. Not to mention that he didn't want to tell her over the phone that he was dreaming that she didn't really have a future…

Tiredly, he sat on her bed and gathered her pillow in his arms. He could smell Chloe on it and it was just so comforting. He felt all his cares slip away with it and realized that he was already half-reclined to sleeping on her bed. He groaned. This was a terrible way for her to find him, but he wasn't going to be able to stay awake for much longer. He gave in to the inevitable and tucked the pillow beneath his head. As if that was a trigger, he quickly fell unconscious…

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A/N: Does anyone detect a pattern to the chapters here? LOL! **_

_Chlark4ever92: If I allowed my Chlark fantasies to come to fruition so early in the story, it would be a terribly short one. And I can't have that:O_

_markmark261: Are you serious? That's such a high compliment from you! I really appreciate it! The swearing thing… well, I've discovered that I don't seem to write it as extensively as I may use it while upset in my real life. I just can't imagine the characters really letting loose and sounding like sailors. ;D I think I threw in the Jack Daniels thing as Clark's attempt to escape reality. I do agree with you that I don't think chemical substances like most drugs and alcohol would affect Clark too much._

_iluvsmallville1: I would tell you what happens in the next chapter, but that would ruin the surprise! I also can't explain why he's having these dreams… at least not for four more chapters. Muwhahahahaha!_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** This is an intentionally short chapter. Even before I write it, I feel like it may be a bit brutal in aspect, but not too bad. I definitely try to be a PG writer! ;D_

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Chapter 6

When Clark woke it was neither to an unfamiliar feeling or being shaken awake… It was to the sensation of pain. He could feel his body cramping up and screamed for release. He felt as if every nerve ending was on fire and he couldn't catch his breath. When the pain ceased, he tried to open his eyes, but discovered that it took much more effort than normal because they were nearly swollen shut. "Chloe?" he croaked.

"Why you would call out her name is totally beyond me, Mr. Kent." The voice was almost familiar, but had a strange emotionless quality that he couldn't quite place.

A face hovered over him and it took him a moment to focus enough to identify who it was. When all became clear, it was not a welcome surprise. "Mr. Luthor?" He was proud to hear that his voice didn't quaver or whine too much. He knew from long experience that to show weakness before the Luthors was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He tugged at his hands and feet and discovered they were securely bound to the table he lay on. In fact, with each tug, a fresh wave of pain flowed through his body. _They have kryptonite in them_, he deduced, leaving off trying to escape until he could formulate a plan… a process that was not going to be made easy because his mind was having a hard time focusing on his surroundings.

"In the flesh," he said. "You never deserved to have the power that you squander, Clark. You allowed human emotion to deflect you from the course you were sent here to achieve."

"Why are you doing this?" Clark asked. "I've never done anything to you! How long have I been here?" Even when he said it, he knew it was a lie. Hadn't he just begged his mother to break off all contact from him? Hadn't he been thrown into a coma because of one of the crystals? And what about his testimony that had thrown him in jail? If he was to be truly honest with himself, he was actually surprised that Lionel Luthor hadn't tortured him before.

"Young man, don't try to con a con man," Lionel sneered. He looked at Clark and sighed. "Perhaps those drugs have more memory altering side effects than we initially projected. Fine, you've been here for nearly thirteen years. I can't believe that it took me even two years to realize the profit that could be made off of you. Do you know the strides society has made under my guidance due to using what I learned from you?" His eyes looked off into the distance as he continued. "You know, it wasn't that hard to find you… and capturing you was even easier." He laughed dryly and it sounded as if he hadn't had that kind of reaction in years. He pointed toward a dingy corner and Clark saw the bedraggled figures of Lois Lane and Lana Lang manacled to the walls, looking at him in horror. As he looked at them closer, he noticed that their eyes had very little room for thought when their lives were filled with pain and horror.

"What have you done with them?" Clark whispered, aghast that they were being treated worse than the lowest prison anywhere on Earth.

"Nothing much. A little torture here… a little violation there…" Lionel looked at them dismissively. "Normally, I wouldn't have bothered with them, but I didn't have many other levers to use against you…"

Clark could only stare at him in horror. He looked about the room, searching for any other familiar face. "Mom?" Lionel sighed. Clark thought he actually sounded sad, which didn't bode well. "What have you done with my mother? Where is she?" Clark demanded.

Lionel shrugged. "Once Martha Kent discovered my plan, I really had no other alternative. She would have made life difficult and I've done everything in my power to make my life one of ease and luxury."

"Tell me!" Clark screamed, his mind howling in agony.

"I made her death painless… Don't worry about that, Clark," Lionel said softly, as if that would soften the blow. "I knocked her unconscious and gave her a lethal injection of morphine. Some quick fiddling with her medical records had everyone believing that she'd always had a drug addiction and there was little to no investigation into her death."

Even without Lionel telling him, he knew she was dead. She never would have stood by and let Lionel do this to him. "My friends would never have allowed you to get away with this. They would have…"

"Tried to save you?" Lionel laughed again. Clark realized that he was starting to sound more like his old self by the minute… but that wasn't reassuring. "Of course they did. Really, Mr. Ross was the most unsatisfactory death of them all. Just a bullet to the head. Quite simple… I even had one of my lackeys do it. He wasn't worth getting my hands dirty over."

Clark shuddered painfully. How could he talk so casually of the death of one of his best friends? The friend that had first discovered his secret and had stood by him as long as he could? Clark hadn't blamed him for leaving after the FBI had tortured him for information on Clark. How could he? "Lex?" he croaked, his throat closing with grief.

Lionel smiled and Clark shuddered. "The betrayal of my loving son was not unexpected. Ever since you swooped in to save his life, he's had a chink in his armor. Because of you, he grew weak and ineffectual."

"He wasn't weak or ineffectual!" Clark defended his erstwhile friend. "He was strong enough to put you in jail when I was 17!"

"But I got out, didn't I?" Lionel sneered. "If he'd been a true Luthor, I'd never had gotten that chance. But you infected him with your faulty moral code and he was never the same."

Clark stared at him for a long moment. "Whatever your other faults, Lionel, I don't believe you'd kill your own son."

He chuckled. "Well, you have me there, don't you? But really, it's more for my genetic propagation that he's still living. Otherwise, he'd been in a much nicer place than Smallville Retirement Center. I put him in there… what was that? Eleven years ago?"

Clark's mind was in a whirl. Lionel actually managed to commit Lex again? It seemed rather far-fetched that the authorities would buy that. "I'm surprised you risked it," he said. "Even the most loyal of orderlies might believe his tale of an evil father and accept Lex's counter-bribe to help him escape…"

Lionel just lifted an eyebrow at Clark in disdain. "Oh no, dear boy. I learned my lesson the first time. This time I had Lex lobotomized before committing him. He's nothing more than a living breathing sperm factory until I choose to impregnate a worthy woman with his seed and then dispose of his body."

"But he's your son? Where are your feelings?"

Lionel looked at him thoughtfully. "You know, over the years, I've wondered that. I believe it was my time spent under the influence of the entity of Braniac, when you thought I was an oracle, that changed my emotional make-up. I rarely feel anything now… I have to thank you for introducing me to some of those feelings again, Clark. I had been starting to despair."

Clark felt his world ripping apart. Everyone he'd known and loved had died trying to save him. Wouldn't it have been better to have just disappeared himself? Wouldn't they have been better off? There was one more person that he needed to know about. He tried to prepare himself for the inevitable… perhaps even not ask the question until he fell back asleep… but it popped out. "And Chloe?" he whispered.

"Ah, the irrepressible Ms. Sullivan." Lionel smiled and Clark could have sworn that his features lit up with an evil satisfaction. "She had been such a thorn in my side that I had no patience to treat her as gently as either your mother or my son. In fact, it was just for that reason and her unfailing belief in you that I took such pains…"

"No… no… no…" Clark shouted, shaking his head back and forth. "I don't want to know!" He struggled against his bonds, heedless of the pain… anything to escape what Lionel was about to tell him.

"But you asked, Clark. Didn't your self-righteous father ever tell you that you shouldn't ask a question if you didn't want to hear the answer?" Lionel chuckled again and started walking back and forth. "Revenge… Well, I'd thought I'd had my revenge when I blew up the safe house she and Gabe had been moved to, but she escaped that. And when I was under the influence of your birth father's memories, I actually helped you and her defeat the Eradicator. So she deserved much more careful attention."

Clark clamped his eyes shut, trying to think of anything else… anything that might possibly block Lionel Luthor out. "Please…" he breathed.

He could feel the hot breath of his tormentor as he leaned in close to make sure Clark heard each and every word. "She didn't look much like her attractive younger self when I was done with her. I suppose that happens when you break every bone in a person's body. To be honest, I was surprised that she didn't go mad like her darling mother. I hadn't been aware that she had such strength in her." Lionel actually sounded a bit impressed. "Then I used her for a human guinea pig on those substances we'd extracted from your body. They'd never make it through the FDA, but I wasn't really looking for pretty results." He laughed. "It took her a full year to die, Clark. That's the impressive thing. Twelve whole months and only at the end did she call your name… With her last breath, she screamed for you to help her… to save her… just like you always did. But you didn't. She died knowing you couldn't rescue her this time."

"When did she die?" Clark cried, tears streaming down his face. This was more horrible than the others. Before he'd only imagined dangerous positions she'd put herself in that she'd been unable to get out of. But this… This was all because of him…

"Ten years to the day, I think," Lionel said thoughtfully. "You know, I hadn't realized that. Perhaps this deserves some celebration. Walters…"

Clark's eyes snapped open with his words. "You're a monster, Lionel." He screamed it in his defiance… in his rejection of all the information he'd just gained.

Lionel just looked at him for a moment. "You know… I think I am… Isn't that interesting?" Clark could only look at him and sob. "Now Clark, as much as this trip down memory lane has been, I think we both know what's coming. I've run out of experiments to run on you… all but two." He swung a large syringe out on a mechanical arm directly over his chest. "I'm curious what this will do to you. I've given you many diluted forms of liquid kryptonite to watch your body heal itself, but never a full dose of undiluted. If you believe in a god, I suggest you pray to him right now." He pressed a button and then turned to the two girls. Clark only barely registered that he had a gun in his hand. "Now girls, the worst is finally over. I'm finally going to give you release…"

"Wait!" he yelled. "Wait! I'll do whatever you want… just please don't hurt them."

Lionel laughed again. "Damn but that feels good. You're already doing what I want, Clark. You'll die and then I'll get to dissect you. That **_is_** what the last experiment is after all." He laughed as he shot both girls directly in the head before Clark's eyes. "But I'll be back for you later…"

Clark could only look at the girls in horror. He'd failed… failed everyone. What use was he? His eyes flickered toward the needle that was now only a nanometer from his chest and shook his head. It was quite the Austin Powers moment that the bad guys would leave the room where their prisoner could easily escape. He squinted at the needle, willing his heat vision to melt it. He knew it would pour the contents onto his chest, but after he freed himself, he could wipe it off. But something was wrong because absolutely nothing happened. "Come on…" he muttered and tried again.

He heard a click and Lionel's voice echoed through the room. "I wondered if you'd try that. After thirteen years, you don't think I know all about your powers? We'd discovered a substance that deprived you of your heat vision… oh… seven years ago. Have fun, Clark…" and the final click was all he heard as he watched the needle inexorably descend. As it punctured his skin and kept descending, he screamed out in pain and horror. Even the pain he'd woken up to was nothing like this. He continued to scream until finally, he passed out.

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__A/N:__ Not too gory, but definitely not my regular fare… Hmmm…_ **

_iluvsmallville1: I'm glad you liked last chapter… and I don't mind the copying… especially the use of the evil laugh. I think the world would be a better place with more evil laughter in it. Here's my thing about Lana (and I've been watching some of the first season's stuff, so it brought it to light for me)… It wasn't so bad that they wanted to have a romantic relationship between Lana & Clark. However, they rarely have them in an instance where Clark pursuing her isn't breaking up a relationship. Clark's supposed to be an honorable sort. Is that what Superman would do? Sure, they've written her more whiny, which really gets on my nerves, but her affect on Clark drives me nutso! (I don't know when Sixth Season premieres, but I'm DYING for it!)_

_CSLUVSCK: I'm so glad you're enjoying this fic. It's been in my head for awhile since my dream, so I decided to give it shape. It doesn't follow my dream exactly, but it definitely gave me the basis. (Sorry about the long wait. I was having trouble editing the chapters in **and** then I had a problem uploading. It's been a long week. ;D)_

_Cenzo: Welcome to the fold. I only hope my writing will continue to live up to your expectations!_

_Chlark4ever92: Funny! You caught on! I will admit that I didn't go to too much effort to change how he loses consciousness. I mean, it can't be that interesting, after all. (I had to throw in the new CW. I'm not a huge fan of the move, but it's pertinent. ;D) I'm so mean to Lana… Can't seem to help it!_

_markmark261: Gotcha! Didn't marry him off this time! Muwahahahahaha!_

_chlarkfan333: Thank you so much. You've already determined that his "dream" aren't dreams, I see. ;D_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N:** Finally, Chloe appears! And a quick recap…_

_Also, a quick thank you for all those that have reviewed so quickly. I am surprised and gratified, so this is your reward… ;D_

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Chapter 7

The next thing Clark remembered was the sound of someone screaming. It took him a good minute to realize that it was coming from him. It took him another minute to realize someone was calling his name.

"Clark! Clark!" The voice was very familiar and reassuring which caused his eyes to snap open. Blonde hair topped a fabulously piquant face which was looking at him with deep concern.

"Chloe!" he gasped and tugged her into a fierce hug. He felt such relief that she was alive that he wept onto her shoulder. He could hardly catch his breath due to the sobs and was nearly afraid to let her go in case she disappeared. He could feel her stroking his hair and murmuring reassuring phrases into his ear. Slowly, he started to calm down and his sobs subsided; however, he was still reluctant to let her go. He inhaled and the fragrance from her pillow was even stronger in person. It made him feel, somehow, that he'd come home.

"You know, if you keep squeezing me like this, you're going to break a rib or three," Chloe said, laughter filling her voice. He dropped his arms guiltily and pulled back a bit. She gasped when she looked at him so he knew he looked as haggard as he felt. "Clark, what's wrong? What's going on?"

"I've been having these terrible dreams…" he started out, trying to decide how much to confess. He shrugged. "I haven't had any rest for 24 hours and they seem to be getting worse. At first, I wasn't remembering any of the dreams, but the last three have been so vivid…" He took a deep breath. "First I woke up with Lois in my bed and we were naked…"

Her mouth gaped open. "Are you kidding? You and Lois hate each other!"

He smiled wryly. "We definitely give that impression, don't we? I don't know how it happened… or why my subconscious would pair us together… but when I woke up, she was having dinner with us… Chloe, I watched her at dinner. She has… maybe had… a thing for me."

Her eyes were wide and Clark saw a flicker of something indefinable in them. "Wha… What did you do? Are you interested in her?"

He stared at her for a moment, but realized he had to be honest. "I might have been… if we haven't spent so much time together. Now, she's like a sister… and I had to tell her that. She seemed kinda' mad when she left."

She gulped. "I'll bet. But…"

He held his hand up to stop the questions. "Do you want to hear the rest?" She nodded and he continued. "After I talked to Lois and she ran off, I fell asleep again… I couldn't seem to help it. Then Lana was shaking me awake…"

She snorted, "Figures!" He shook a finger admonishingly at her and she subsided, but didn't look too guilty about the interruption.

He continued. "I've never seen anyone so changed by disappointment and anger. Apparently, we weren't able to have kids because I'm an alien and she blamed me for not using my powers to make our lives easier and more comfortable. She hated that we were living on the farm and not traveling like Mom and Lionel."

"Your…?" She trailed off as if she couldn't bear to complete the sentence.

He shook his head wryly. "I know… I feel the same way. So I warned my mom about him and when I went downstairs, Lana was there. She wanted to get back together, but she…" He sighed sadly. "Nothing's changed between us. I can't tell her and she'll try and make me… And if my dream was to come true…"

Chloe laughed. "Clark, it was a dream… You shouldn't worry…"

He lurched to his feet and started pacing. "But that's just it, Chlo! What was the chance that I would dream about Lois and she was right there? And when I do something that changes that possible future, the dream changes and then it's all about Lana… and there's Lana! I warn my mother against Lionel and he kills her…"

"What?" she gasped horrified.

He looked at her and the horror still resided in his eyes. "I guess I hadn't gotten that far… After the Lana incident, I came here to talk to you and when I fell asleep…" His throat closed up with grief, but he knew he had to continue. "He'd captured me and Lois and Lana were in the corner being tortured so I'd cooperate… although he had me bound with kryptonite laced bonds… or so I can only assume… and when we'd all outlived our usefulness, he shot the girls and then he… he injected me with liquid kryptonite… right in the heart. I can still feel it piercing me…" Tears started running down his face and Chloe leaped into his arms to comfort him. She led him back to the bed and just comforted him silently until he calmed down a bit.

He'd hoped that she'd not realize what he'd left out, but he knew he was just whistling in the dark about that. "You know, you've avoided mentioning one thing rather carefully, Clark," she said with her eyes narrowed at him. "Where am I during all these dreams of the future?" She tried to make it sound lighthearted, but he knew she was hurting from the exclusion. He opened his mouth to utter a platitude without having to reveal what had really happened. After all, if she acknowledged that perhaps these did have validity, would she go around with a fatalistic attitude that would get her killed? Maybe that was the reason… However, before he could say anything, she pierced him with a glare. "And don't even think about lying to me… Even when I didn't know your secret, I always knew when you were lying."

He sighed and gave a mental shrug. She'd browbeat him until he told her and he was just too tired to fight her. "You were dead," he whispered. "You shouldn't have anything to do with me… ever!"

She burst into laughter which drew his shocked gaze. Of all the reactions he expected from her, this was not one of them. "Now I know you're not some fortune teller. Don't you know? I'm indestructible."

He wanted to smile… to join in the joke… but he felt an odd certainty that they shouldn't take it so lightheartedly. She'd "almost" died too many times in the few years of their acquaintance for comfort. "I can't take that chance, Chlo," he said sadly.

The laughter stopped immediately. "What in the world do you mean? You mean we're not going to be friends anymore because you're afraid of what happens in a dream? You can't be serious!"

"It's not just you. Everyone I touch seems to be hurt in some way. I can't stop it so maybe if I'm not around…"

She reached over and slapped him lightly in the face. They both knew it wouldn't hurt him but it definitely got his attention. "Stop being melodramatic!" she demanded. Then a sly look came over her face. "Besides, if you and Lois were sleeping together, she's probably blissfully happy…"

He grimaced at her. "Stop joking around. This isn't funny…"

She shrugged. "Maybe not, but you're being ridiculous about this. We need to do some research into the possibility of your dreams being true…" She was already headed for her computer. Before she started typing, she murmured, "I wish Professor Swann was still around. He seemed to have his finger on the pulse of Kryptonian history and such… He could have told you if one of your powers was premonition…"

Clark used the opportunity to back away from her toward the door. His heart hurt as he looked at her already starting to research possibilities. Knowing Chloe, she wouldn't stop until she had a definitive answer, but he couldn't take the chance… If something happened to her or his mother, he'd never forgive himself. He could hear her muttering to herself and wished that he could smile. He didn't know what gave him away, but suddenly she turned to look at him. Her eyes widened again as she realized what he was planning on doing. She reached out her hand to him, but he couldn't bear it. If she touched him, he'd weaken in his resolve. In a flash, he was out the corridor and on his way to the Fortress.

"Clark!" he heard Chloe shout. He felt like it was ringing in his ears, but he kept firm on his path. "Oh, Clark," he heard her whisper sadly and wondered if he'd always be able to pick her voice out of all those sounding throughout the world.

It took him mere moments to reach the relative shelter of the Fortress. "It really is my Fortress of Solitude now," he said aloud, wincing to hear his voice echo despondently throughout the structure. He was thankful that he wasn't going to freeze up there, but something felt dead in his heart. He knew he'd have to be strong to resist going back to check on them. Maybe he should take the time to undertake training with Jor-El after all. He'd been resisting it for too long already. But no matter what his birth father wanted, he wasn't going to rule the world. He was going to live outside of it. Maybe, if he was still alive when everyone he loved was gone, he'd come back… come back to make something good of his life.

The exhaustion came on him so suddenly that he actually dropped to his knees. The Fortress blurred around him and he had no energy to find somewhere to sleep. As everything went black, he felt himself dropping to the snowy floor. If he ever found out that someone was doing this to him, he was going to have a strong talking to with them.

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_**A/N:** Maybe it's because I'm a girl, but all of a sudden I realized that I've written Clark crying a lot so far… and I'm less than half-way done with what I'd outlined. Do you think it's too much? Am I emasculating Clark with all the tears?_

_chlarkfan333: Quick question… What's TC? Is that torture chamber? Sometimes I get lost with my acronyms. ;D Personally, I'm not a slash enjoyer, so I'm glad you liked it!_

_markmark261: I KNOW! I really had to stretch with that one. I really enjoyed doing it, but I wasn't sure if I'd done it justice. Ah continuity… I have discovered that I'm a stickler for that! It drives me crazy when the PTB at "Smallville" (or even in novels) don't pay attention to what was previously said/done and go with it. Is it that hard to be consistent? Thanks for the props! They help me keep going!_

_Tamalie: There will be about 20 chapters, FYI. That seems to be my norm. And I'm glad you like it!_

_Chlark4ever92: I'm so glad you're enjoying it. TC (if I'm correct in my guess above) isn't really my style, but it totally fit in my sequence._

_lil-wolfgirl: Welcome to my world. I'm really glad you're enjoying it. I really appreciate it when people like my stuff. I'd write anyway, but this gives me encouragement to be more regular about it! ;D_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** So what would happen if Clark cut off all ties from humanity? Is it the right thing? Is it the wrong? Well, soon you'll find out my opinion._

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Chapter 8

As he slowly rose from the depths of sleep, the first thing he felt was the emptiness he could feel all around him. He wasn't in a bed and he definitely didn't have anyone else around him. He looked around him and he was in a large and dark building with just a bit of sunlight beginning to filter through a set of high windows. Looking into the sky, he had the sudden feeling that something was terribly wrong… He looked down at himself and found he was encased in a black body armor suit that was perfectly molded to his body… maybe a little too perfectly. He felt practically naked in the thing. He got up and stretched and discovered that it moved perfectly with his body. He shrugged. If this was what he was wearing… there was nothing to change into. As he got ready to explore his current accommodations, he realized two things: that he was no longer at the Fortress for some reason and that it was deadly quiet outside. Curiosity got the better of him and he headed directly outside.

As the door opened, he gasped in horror. He had come back to Metropolis… but no Metropolis he'd ever seen before. Building were either crumbling on their foundation or leaning heavily on their neighbors. With a jaundiced eye, he figured that a stiff wind would bring everything down easily. The sky burned an unhealthy orange with a red sun hanging bloated on the horizon. As he walked the streets, he couldn't see another living soul… maybe a cockroach here and there, but no humans or their pets were to be seen. Just as he was about to give up all hope, he heard a voice laughing in the distance.

He ran at normal speed toward the sound. He was afraid that if he used his powers, the air disruption would hurt anyone that may be hiding in the vicinity. _When did this happen?_ he wondered sadly. _Even though I swore not to come back, surely I would have been motivated to stop such mass destruction…_ Turning a corner, he skidded to a halt as he stared in horror at the sight before him.

Lex Luthor… a considerably older and more haggard Lex… stood in a tattered white suit on a small pile of rubble, looking about him like a king observing his kingdom. His face was turned toward the horizon as if he was looking for something. In his hands, he clung to a metallic briefcase that looked much heavier than he, in his emaciated state, should have been able to hold… but never once did he make a move to set it on the ground or rest. There was a manic energy emanating from him that Clark didn't understand. When the visual shock wore off, Clark was finally able to notice the sounds coming from his old friend.

"Traitors… they were all traitors… deserved it… deserved it all… They made me do it… Mommy, where's Julian…? Julian didn't get hurt in the red rain, did he…? Father, I can't believe you tried to rip back power… Didn't you know that you had made me your perfect successor…? Clark? Clark?"

To hear his name torn from Lex's lips was too much for him. "Lex… Lex, I'm right here. What happened?"

Lex shrieked in terror as he whirled around to confront Clark. Clark gasped again as he saw that Lex's skin had taken on a piebald texture and his eyes were bloodshot. In fact, there was evidence that he'd been bleeding from his eyes at some point in the not too distant past. But it was the eyes that caught Clark's attention. Not since he'd been drugged into insanity had Clark seen Lex's eyes like that. In fact, they looked considerably crazier than Clark could ever remember.

He'd only had a moment to make those observations before Lex took one look at him and ran screaming from him… tripping and falling to the pavement at regular intervals… looking back at Clark occasionally to scream shrilly and continue on his way. Clark wasn't even certain he was watching where he was going. Clark moved to follow him but stopped suddenly as a newspaper dispenser with the Daily Planet in it caught his eye. _If the Planet is still going out, it can't be as bad as I think it is…_

He snatched a paper and the headline captured his attention. "Tyranny is not to be Borne" it shouted in bold letters. Surprisingly, a picture of the White House was displayed beneath it. Almost absently, he noted who the journalist was and smiled in delight that it said "An Editorial by Chloe Sullivan, Journalist."

"She made it!" he crowed in delight. He was surprised that the print was a little faded, but read her story. After all, it's what he'd always done in high school… and a bit in college… It was short, so it wouldn't take him too long and then he could go find Lex again.

"_For three years, President Lex Luthor has held our nation in his clutches. He has used us and manipulated us as he would members of his company's Board of Directors. However, this reporter has discovered that the mental stability of our 'duly elected' President is highly suspect. Only seven years ago, Lex Luthor was committed for insanity and treated with electro-shock therapy. However, he made a miraculous recovery and apparently was back to the man we knew._

"_A year later, he ran for the vacant Kansas state Senator against the late Jonathan Kent. Despite his underhanded politics and rabid supporters, Mr. Kent handily defeated him. Unfortunately, Mr. Kent passed shortly after the announcement was made and Martha Kent took his Senate position._

"_Not to be defeated, Luthor wheeled and dealed himself into a suddenly vacant House position and tore through both the Senate and House, making deals right and left, few of which he honored. When President Newman was assassinated, the nation cried out in anguish. With enemies on every side, who would lead us? Because, to everyone's surprise, those in the chain of authority refused to take the Presidency and an emergency election had to be held. Congress even passed a Constitutional amendment so that Lex Luthor could run without being the proper age._

"_Within two months, a new President was elected. Running as an Independent, Luthor ran an expensive and dirty campaign. Any competition for the presidency was routinely dragged through the mud. Whether the accusations were true or false, it didn't matter. Suspiciously, Luthor won by a landslide. This reporter was shocked and appalled, but the nation felt they had a strong leader once again._

"_Unfortunately, their faith in Luthor was not to last. Without any concern, he broke campaign promises to the public and proceeded upon the most tyrannical path that has ever been seen in this country. Every citizen was under surveillance, purportedly for their own protection. Citizens began disappearing never to be seen again or thrown into interment camps. No charges were ever leveled at them other than they were a threat to the nation. But we still thought we were safe. If we obeyed the President, we would be safe from everything. While small-time crime did still occur, threats from other nations ceased instantly. Perhaps they knew something we had yet to suspect._

"_A year ago, defenders of truth and justice and the innocent began to be captured. The President appeared to be looking for someone specifically, but never found them. First, it started with Arthur (A.C.) Curry, a known environmental activist. Then Bart Allen, an ex-criminal who had redeemed himself by helping others. Victor Stone, a victim of illegal experimentation, was also captured. Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne, noted billionaire philanthropists, also were not safe. And the list goes on. But still Luthor was not satisfied._

"_Quickly, the greatest nation on Earth has become a centre of tyranny. No one was allowed to speak freely. Luthor deployed hired mercenaries to enforce his law. Papers and television were strictly censored. President Luthor was impeached by unanimous vote, but the Congress and Supreme Court, as well as local and state governments, were then forcibly disbanded. Fear and Lex Luthor now rules us all._

"_But a subtle rebellion has been staged, my friends… one which terrifies Luthor even now. Demands for his abdication of the Presidency have fallen on deaf ears. He refuses to leave the safety of the White House to face his constituents. Mercenaries fill the streets…_

"_But now, fellow citizens, it is time to take a stand. Our forefathers fought against such tyrannical rule. They founded a nation where men could speak freely… worship freely… Rights that were fought for… died over… have been stripped from us and it is time for us to take them back. You can no longer sit back and hope that this goes away… that someone with great power will come and save us all. There is no one standing between Lex Luthor and world domination besides us. Stand with us, my friends… brothers and sisters… neighbors… fellow citizens. Stand with us tomorrow in front of the White House while we demand our rights be returned and the criminal Lex Luthor be incarcerated for crimes against our great country. We are all that are left… We few… There is still hope in the world, even though it is hard to see. There is no one person that can stand against this madman… but if we stand together, united in our cause, we will prevail!_"

Clark's hand was shaking by the time he was finished reading. This was like no newspaper article he'd ever read before… not even one that Chloe had written at the Torch, where she felt more free with her expression. This was a declaration of defiance. But surely she had some of the dates wrong… Lex definitely didn't look like only five years had passed… and every other time it had been at least ten years… He glanced at the paper and fell to his knees in shock. It was only five years from the day he'd left her.

He had to know what happened. He had to know where she was. Since the only one around was Lex, he had to find him. He could hardly believe that Lex could drop off the deep end so quickly and easily, but he would know where the interment camps were… and if he captured Chloe for her seditious article, surely she would be in one of them.

He didn't have to travel very far. A broken Lex lay in the street, the remains of a stone pillar all around him. Desperate for answers, he went to him. "Lex… Lex, what did you do?"

"I couldn't just let them try and take everything from me, Clark," Lex babbled, although his eyes seemed clear for a moment. "I'd worked so hard… and I had nothing left. When you disappeared, I was sure my father had something to do with it. I tortured him for information but he went to his grave protesting his innocence."

"He didn't kidnap me, Lex. I had to leave… I was a danger to those around me."

Lex sighed unhappily. "I should have known, I suppose. Perhaps I did. But after I married Lana, all I had left was my pursuit for power."

"You married Lana?" Clark gasped. He'd guessed that something deeper was going on between them… even while he was dating Lana… but it was hard to believe that they'd actually married.

Lex tried to shrug nonchalantly, but only succeeded in dislodging the clotting that had begun after his hand had been destroyed. "I told her we couldn't have any children… some folderol about being infertile, but I couldn't let her die in childbirth like she had in my vision…"

Clark shuddered at the parallel. Isn't that what he was trying to do? Fix the future so it wouldn't turn out as badly as he dreamed and feared? He x-rayed Lex's body and realized he didn't have much time left. He was bleeding so severely internally that it was actually surprising he could talk now. "What happened at the rally, Lex? Where's Chloe? My mom? Pete?"

"Pete? He was my vice-president. I'd had him convinced of all the good I was going to do. Even with the votes I purchased and the ballot boxes I stuffed, it wouldn't get me elected if I didn't have a good man to run with me. But he saw through me more quickly than I'd thought… and he conveniently killed himself."

"Did he really?" Clark gasped.

Lex giggled with returning insanity. "Of course not, silly boy. I had Jenkins off him. I couldn't stage an assassination like I had for Newman. That would only have made him a martyr… a symbol for the huddled masses to stand behind."

"But they did rise up against you, Lex. Chloe raised the standard…"

Lex sighed again. "I never was able to sway Chloe to my side. I would have been invincible with her behind me. It's really sad what happened, actually. But it's her own fault."

"What did you do? Lex, what did you do?" Clark barely managed to restrain himself from shaking Lex for the information.

He coughed a little and a trickle of blood rolled down his cheek. "I don't know why I should tell you, but you're as good a person to confess to as any, I suppose. At first, I ordered my men to slaughter them all as they marched in the streets. But I wasn't prepared for the entire world, including those nations that had always hated America, to rise up in force to protest. I don't know how they found out, really. Must have had a mole in the White House. Chloe probably put him in there…" Admiration shone dimly in his eyes. "For a woman of 23, she was brilliant." He coughed weakly again. "But even though the world protested, I had no choice. They'd forced me into it."

Lex sighed and closed his eyes and Clark was afraid that he'd lost him before he'd gotten any real answers. "Lex… Lex! Wake up! What did you do? Where is Chloe?"

When Lex opened his eyes, they were glazed and unseeing… but Clark could still see that Lex had slipped back into insanity. "Really, it's your fault, Clark. I'd always looked to you… believed that somehow you would save me… But with you gone, I had nothing. No lodestone to direct me in the right paths."

"Lex…" he whispered sorrowfully.

"They deserved it!" Lex shouted. "They shouldn't have defied me. They didn't have the right! I had to defend myself. They were traitors… each and every one of them!"

"What? What did you do?"

"I had my second in command reprogram all the targeting computers. We had enough to do the job. It was surprisingly easy. That Gabriel had the right idea, really…"

"You launched a nuclear attack? On the people in your own backyard? Were you suicidal?"

"Not just there, Clark…" Lex coughed, his voice suddenly at a mere whisper, his breath gurgling in his chest. "Everywhere… They all deserved it… It was so easy…"

"When, Lex? When?"

Lex couldn't focus on him, but he looked puzzled at the question. "Oh, ten years ago, I think. I lost track of time from when we'd been down in the shelter and when we had to surface for sustenance. I directed a barrage of missiles right at Chloe and Martha Kent who were being laser painted… and then… boom…"

Lex sighed again and that was the last Clark heard from him. He was in such shock that it took him several minutes to realize that Lex was dead. A tear slipped down his cheek for a friend that had lost himself and Chloe and his mother who had died for what they believed in. If they had to, he knew that was the way they'd prefer to go out… fighting an impossible cause against impossible odds. They must have thought they had a chance of success, but they'd had no clue that Lex was that far gone.

_And hiding away from the world doesn't save them either_, he thought morosely. _I should have at least been standing with them at the last…_

As he bowed his head in grief for those that had gone on without him, he felt a sudden crash to the back of his head and blinding pain filled him. He was surprised that anyone else was still alive around here and whirled to discover who it was. He gasped as he took in a severely mutated Lana Lang wielding a green meteor rock, poised to strike him again. "Lana! Lana! It's me… Clark! Stop… please!" She bashed him along side the head again, causing him to crash to the ground. She only grunted in response and Clark could see that her mouth had somehow been sealed over. He looked into her eyes and they were totally empty of all thought except rage. She continued to smash at him and his world went dark.

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A/N:__ OK… pretended to be a reporter, but it's harder than you might think… If you think you can do better, please rewrite and submit. If I like it enough, I will update this chapter with your article and give you kudos for it._ **

A/N: A/N: 

_CSLUVSCK: I'm so glad to have provided you a warm welcome home! ;D_

_simplyjazzie09: Well, I had to throw that in. As much as I'm all for immediate gratification of my Chlark need, the ultimate reward for patience should repay such patience! ;D_

_chlarkfan333: Well, I will say that beyond this chappie, Chloe's pretty much a fixture. I think it's because I love writing her._

_markmark261: I have to say that the possible futures are good. They're totally giving my mind a work-out. But if you don't have the other chapters with him making decisions to change his future, wouldn't he just consistently dream the same thing over and over again? ;D_

_Chlark4ever92: Muwahahahahaha! Gotcha, didn't I?_

_lil-wolfgirl: I love Chlark as well. I think it has all the elements of why I loved Lois and Clark together historically, but can't stand that pairing now. I'm totally afraid they're going to shove it down our throats this season, but I'm still holding on for my Chlark!_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N:** Lana bashing moment – I just couldn't resist having her mutation really just be a sealed mouth. I've been watching the old shows and sometimes I just want her to SHUT UP! But then, I'm biased… I think everyone will agree…_

_As a quick update, I just want all of you to know that I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update. If it wasn't job stress, it was a family tragedy so I just want you to know that I'll do better in the future… I promise!_

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Chapter 9

As he woke, he was blessedly free of pain… In fact, everything seemed different somehow. Light filtered strongly through his eyelids and he felt at peace. He sighed and wished he could stay there forever. He opened his eyes to see the barn all around him. He smiled at the familiar surroundings.

"Clark, you're really making a mess of things, aren't you?" Clark turned around and hurled himself into the arms of the speaker.

"Dad!" he gasped. "I'm so glad to see you!" He drew back a little. "Does this mean I'm dead?"

Jonathan Kent chuckled. "No… That is not in the cards at this time. What you've been given is a gift…"

"My powers? A gift? Dad, I'm a total mutant and I can't have any normal relationships…" Clark would have gone off on a full rant had not his father cut him off in mid-sentence.

"Clark, stop it. I'm not talking about your powers, although you wallowing in self-pity is truly starting to get on my nerves. I'm talking about…" He looked at Clark as if he should have figured it out on his own and was somehow disappointed in him. "Haven't you wondered why you keep having these vivid dreams?"

"The nightmares? I thought they were another 'gift' for the Last Son of Krypton…" he said wryly.

"Son, I know that you've attributed nearly god-like qualities to the entity that claims to be Jor-El, but they were just a highly scientific race that could do miraculous things by our standards. Do you really think if they could see the future that they would have waited around for their planet to explode beneath them?"

Clark looked at his father with chagrin. "I suppose not…"

Jonathan smiled at him in exasperation. "You've been given a great gift. You've already put many things aside selflessly and now it's your opportunity to see the consequences your choices today will make. You have 24 hours… 24 hours to see your possible futures."

"Dad, you know it's really inconvenient to keep dropping like a fly to exhaustion."

He laughed with joy and embraced his son. "You are a delight! I can well imagine, but we're not allowed to give you the answers. But you've never given up. You keep trying to change things… not only for yourself but for the betterment of your friends."

"But it's not helping! Every time I make a decision, it gets worse and worse. Last time, the entire world died. How could I have prevented that?"

He laughed again. "You haven't fully grasped your destiny yet and that's fine. Sometimes these things take awhile. But you're just not making the right choices yet. And hiding away with the construct that pretends to be your father isn't going to help."

Clark felt totally overwhelmed by the situation and didn't know which way to turn. "Couldn't you give me a hint? Tell me which would be the most perfect future?"

Jonathan sobered and looked at him sadly. "The future is never perfect. It wouldn't have been terrible there with Lois, would it?"

"Eeewww, Dad! Seriously!"

"Well, I do have to say that I think the PTB messed up on that one. They wanted to get your relationship started early, but didn't address it properly. You look at her like a sister and that's a taboo that's hard to overcome." He laughed wryly. "You have no idea how chagrined they were about that one… But I can't help you. That's the problem with destiny. It seems like it's all laid out for you, but it hinges on a lot of different decisions. You have the potential to be many things… great or bad… You just have to choose how to go on."

"I'm only 18! How in the world am I supposed to know?"

Jonathan looked at him slyly. "Who do you always go to who helps you figure things out? Who's stood by you, through thick and thin? Whose clear insight the world would sorely miss if it was torn away too soon?"

Clark thought about that for a moment. At first, he was inclined to say it would be his mother… but… "Chloe?"

The older Kent winked. "Got it in one. Knew you had it in you." But the gaze he turned on his son was more serious than Clark had seen in a long time. "She's in danger… Well, she's always in danger, but she needs someone to protect her."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Clark gasped. "I can't watch her 24-7, you know…"

Jonathan gave his son another quick hug and then placed a hand on his chest. "I'm not allowed to tell you… but you'll know it in here," he said, tapping Clark's chest. "Now it's time to get up. There are things you must do!" With a gentle shove, Clark was knocked off his feet, away from his father, and the world went black around him.

_**

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A/N: Wow! Super short, but I guessed that ya'll might like to have a bit of insight at this point. ;D And did you catch the not-so-subtle dig at the "Smallville" PTB? LOL! And considering that they've used Jonathan as this type of plot construct before, I figured why not me too? ;D **_

_You know, I'm outlining some of those sequels ya'll wanted… Do you know it almost takes longer to do the outlining than it does to write the darn thing? I suppose that's because you come up with the whole storyline while outlining. But I wish they'd finish faster…_

_Markmark261: Honey, I knew what you meant. Totally just harassing you. It's my joy in life! ;D Lana **was** a little over the top, but I couldn't help but have her mutation be her mouth sealed shut. After all, it "might" happen, right? Right? I mean, it's a nuclear attack with the fallout. Come on! ;D OK, I did it totally to seal Lana's mouth shut! I'm evil!_

_Pyrebi: Oh, don't worry. My fics are usually at least 20 chapters and I don't see about this one being any less. But I'm really glad you're enjoying it. It makes my job easier! ;D_

_SeasonVelvet: Oh, I don't think I'm going to do such immediate gratification for everyone… Muwahahahaha! But I do love Chlark, so you know it'll be in there somewhere…_

_lil-wolfgirl: Have you noticed that…? Well, I don't really want to ruin it for those that Season 6 hasn't started for. But I will say that while I was suitably impressed with the season opener, one aspect really annoyed me greatly!_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:** Well, we're about half-way through. Now, before I go any further, I want to say this story will have no sequel. After all, it's just not right that Clark, who has lots of physical advantages, would have another destiny viewing dream time. It wouldn't be fair._

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Chapter 10

Clark woke up with a start, slightly disoriented by the scene of white before his eyes. It took him a few minutes before he remembered his dream and his dad. He smiled that Jonathan Kent was so concerned about his welfare even now and these nebulous contacts just confirmed the beliefs of an afterlife he'd been raised with.

He thought for a moment about what he'd learned. It was such a relief to know that this living nightmare was only temporary. He felt a little sick that his dreams had the possibility of reality and that Chloe had died in five years… Five years! … in each alternate reality. There were still many opportunities to change those futures, but he felt a sense of urgency screaming through him. Chloe was his best friend. To _not_ do something to make sure she had a long and healthy life wasn't an option. To be even more honest, he was angry at these nebulous powers that had thrust this on him. They might think it was a gift, but it was too "shades of Jor-El" to make him feel comfortable. Why couldn't they have told him about the "gift"? Why did everything always have to be such a secrecy thing with beings of extraordinary powers?

As he ran out of the Fortress, he made a split second decision. He couldn't ask Chloe for help yet… no matter what his dad said. To tell her that his nightmares had a hint of reality would be too much of a burden. She never asked to be thrust into his world… well, maybe she had, but she had other things to worry about… and maybe his mom could help him come up with the options that would ensure Chloe's life for longer than five years. It didn't take him long before he was storming up the front steps of the only home he'd known. "Mom?" he called as he walked in the kitchen.

"Clark?" a voice gasped before both a blonde and red head slammed against him, clutching him tight. He couldn't believe how upset they were, but he hugged them back. Surprisingly enough, he felt a certain sense of home with these two that he rarely felt elsewhere. Chloe lifted her head and Clark was surprised at her red-rimmed eyes bearing testament to exactly how worried she'd been. She whacked him on the shoulder with all her might. "Clark Kent, don't you **_ever_** do that to me again!" she hissed as she nursed her injured hand.

Her anger was shocking. "I haven't been gone for…" He stopped and looked at her hard. "How'd you get here so fast?" he demanded.

She snorted in derision. "I may have broken a few… okay, most… of the speed limits, but you've been gone for two and a half hours!" She planted her fists on her hips. "Where have you been?"

His mind boggled away from the contemplation of how long he'd actually been away. He shrugged. "I thought I could hide out at the Fortress… maybe take those Kryptonian courses Jor-El is always blathering on about. It seemed like a good idea at the time," he finished lamely.

She whacked him on the arm again, but this time yelped in pain. "Don't you ever, ever, _ever_ do that to me again! I would never forgive you!"

Clark had never seen Chloe looking so beautiful as she did at that moment. It really took his breath away and his mind couldn't get itself together to even _try_ to defend himself. "Let me get you some ice for that hand," his mother murmured as she disengaged herself from her son.

Chloe smiled at Martha in thanks, but her eyes immediately went back to Clark's. Her eyes snapped with fear and anger, but he could see the question lying within. "You don't have to worry about me trying that again," he murmured. "Even thinking it might be possible gave me the worst nightmare of the lot." His voice cracked at the end and Chloe's anger visibly drained away. Gently, she took his hand and led him to the couch. He kept hold of her and actually felt the questions vibrating within her. He was actually surprised that she could restrain them. He looked in her eyes and just saw concern for him written within. _She really has the most expressive eyes_, he thought almost dreamily. He smiled. "I guess you're stuck with me know," he laughed.

Martha sat on the coffee table with a dish towel full of ice for Chloe. "We couldn't want anything else, son. I don't know why you'd think running away would solve the problem because it's done _so_ well for you in the past."

Clark blushed hotly but had to acknowledge that his mother had a point. Running away may occasionally seem like the answer and easier, but the consequences were always so dire. "I wasn't thinking too clearly at the time," he said.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Obvious!" Chloe drawled. "At least promise us that you'll do some research first, okay? Don't just give up because the odds seem impossible!" He just smiled. He wasn't absolutely certain he could promise that. Then Chloe's face turned thoughtful. "So what was this last one about? What made you change your mind so drastically?"

Clark took in a deep breath. "Lex nuked the world."

The women gasped in shock. "How did **_Lex_** nuke the world?" Chloe demanded. "Did he just buy a nuclear arsenal? Did he steal one like Gabriel?"

Clark shook his head. "He was president."

Martha looked at him in shock. "How is that possible? He isn't even old enough to run! He doesn't have any true political experience! How far into the future are we talking here?"

He sighed. This might take a little while and who knew when he was going to be knocked unconscious again. "It was some time between now and five years from now. He maneuvered his way into Congress and then intimidated and possibly assassinated his way into an emergency victory of the presidency. His insanity and paranoia came back and he set the bombs off during a rally to force through his impeachment."

"But all those people," Martha gasped. Clark was glad she was already sitting. She'd gone alarmingly pale at the news.

"He'd finally gone completely insane?" Chloe asked, looking disturbingly unsurprised. He nodded. "It's really too bad. If Lionel hadn't used electro-shock therapy to erase Lex's knowledge of his grandparents' murder, it might not have happened like this. He totally discounted the possibility that it would cause returning and incurable insanity… especially considering Lex hadn't been insane at the time."

"But since Lex's insanity was because of those psychosomatic drugs they'd been feeding him, why would this happen?" Clark protested.

"There are a couple of things here," Chloe said, popping out her laptop to look at her files. "First, it's true that his last episode was due to the drugs and there have been studies that electroshock therapy in mentally healthy individuals could cause psychosis at a later date. But this wasn't Lex's first 'episode,' shall we say. Electroshock had been discontinued for a very good reason. It may have immediate benefits, but it definitely had the possibility of future harm. In my research…" She looked up and stopped at Clark's dissatisfied face and shrugged. "Look, I know how you feel about my research, but Lex has always posed a potential threat to you. I love that you believe the best in people, but turning a blind eye…"

Clark waived away her protests. "I know… I know… That doesn't mean I have to like it."

She lifted an eyebrow at him, but smiled. "Didn't ask you to… But I've also noticed that you threw out the big shock first, so I have to wonder what you aren't telling us. Where were we during this tragedy?"

He sighed. She had the knack for asking the one question he really didn't want to answer. "You were at Ground Zero… right in front of the White House… both of you were. Your editorial at the Planet…"

"The Daily Planet? I actually make it beyond intern?" It felt like she was ignoring her possible death so she could focus on the actual attaining of her life's goal.

"Did you have any doubts?" he teased her. She blushed and Clark found himself mesmerized. _What is wrong with me?_ He wondered distractedly. "You wrote an editorial to spark the nation into action. It was… well, it was one of the best things you've ever done."

They stared at each other until his mother chimed in. "You know, I've been thinking about the last day and it really seems like your dreams are following a pattern. They've been coming and going in hour increments."

He thought back and had to agree. "Wow, Mom! I totally hadn't realized… but you're absolutely right."

"But you've been gone from here for four and a half hours… Chloe filled me in on your previous dream, but there's an unaccounted for hour…"

Clark looked at her and smiled. Her analytical mind wasn't always so obvious. But did he really want to talk about _another_ vision of Jonathan Kent? "I was told that this was an opportunity for me… Something so I could see how decisions I made right now could affect the future…"

"And you trusted them? Clark…" his mom looked horrified and he sighed.

_No getting out it now. She'll never believe me if I don't have it all out._ "Dad's never lied to me before," he said softly, hoping to somehow soften the blow.

"Jonathan?" Martha whispered.

"How do you know this wasn't Fine?" Chloe asked skeptically. "He fooled you before…"

Clark frowned at her but she had a point. "I guess the biggest difference is that Fine used Dad's image to get me to do something I'd never consider… which was directly against the morals I'd been raised with. But both times I've seen Dad, he's only offered me guidance and encouragement. That's how I know…"

Chloe nodded and Martha looked at him with eyes brimming with unshed tears. "How'd he look?" she asked.

Clark smiled at her sadly. He knew only too well how desperately she missed her husband. He'd heard her crying late at night… trying to hide it from him. "He looked good, Mom. About the same as when he left us."

She cleared her throat and looked at Chloe. "Looks like this is going to be a long night," she said, her voice cracking with the effort of reining in her emotions. "I'm going to put on some coffee…"

He watched her go sadly. He hadn't meant to hurt her. "She'll be okay," Chloe murmured. "Now, what exactly did Mr. Kent say?"

"He said the only reason why these mysterious powers had him talk to me was that I wasn't grasping the point of the exercise fast enough. He said this is to help me get a grasp on my destiny… and that the world would miss your clear insight." He grinned at her blush. "Now, don't let your head get too big with the praise."

She glared at him, but Martha cut in, bearing two cups of coffee. "It makes sense. Chloe's always looked for the truth at any cost. I've always admired how you give people the information they need to make educated decisions. Sure, you give your opinion… and often forcefully… but you always encourage people to come to their own conclusions, even if it is against popular preference."

Chloe blushed even harder and Clark couldn't contain himself. But before he could hear her retort, everything went black.

_**

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A/N:** At first, this was outlined before the "Flatliners"-esque episode. But I figured it would be after that… and I just made that decision today. Yea, me! ;D Oh, and these passing out incidents are going to become more inconvenient for Clark. You should already know that since I had him pass out in the snow. At least he's sitting, right? _

_Before I get to acknowledgement of the reviews, I'm looking for input on something. First, my very first fan fic was all about a non-Freak of the Week Torch edition. I've been trying to come up with other ideas the crew could report on. Does anyone have any ideas? You will totally get credit for them! ;D_

_Not as many reviews this time. Is that because I've been inexcusably delinquent in updating? Hopefully it's not because the story has taken a turn for the worse! (Horrors!)_

_markmark261: I wasn't entirely fond of having Jonathan pop up, but I couldn't think of any scientific reason for Clark to be traveling to alternate realities… besides using the Jor-El construct, and I think that's getting a tad old. But I do understand your preference. (Thanks for the proofing notes, by the way! You always keep me on my toes!)_

_CSLUVSCK: Everything is okay with me. My uncle died which was difficult, but we weren't that close… It's more about the sadness of someone you know dying. But then I got to celebrate because my latest niece was born last Thursday! (By the way, she's absolutely **perfect!** But I'm not a prejudiced auntie, am I?) I guess it's the cosmic way of balancing the scales, hmmm?_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N:** Oh, yeah… I think the dream chapters may become shorter… because in the real world chapters, there's a lot of exposition and explanation to be done. I can't think of any faster way to do it… and how to draw out these dream chapters… but you never can tell. Maybe my "Smallville" muse will just take off on a dream…_

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Chapter 11

Clark woke to the feeling of bright sunlight on his face and he had to smile. _Well, this is one of the more pleasant ways I've woken up,_ he thought wryly. He opened his eyes and discovered a beautiful open bedroom with exposed brick on the walls. Looking down, he could see a hand-sewn quilt from his mother. Quickly, he glanced to the side and was relieved to see that he had actually woken up alone in bed this time. He wasn't certain he was ready for any further surprises in that area.

"Clark!" a feminine voice called from the other room. He wondered briefly if he'd been relieved too early, but decided that he should check it out. He pulled on some clothes over his boxers and edged into the room. A vision of Chloe-ness greeted him.

"Chloe!" he shouted and swept her up into a huge bear-hug. He swung her round and round until she was gasping with laughter.

"Clark, I'm glad to see you too, but we see each other every day! If you don't get ready fast, we're going to be late… again!" He slowly lowered her to the ground and knew that he looked as confused as he felt. She looked at him strangely for a moment before realization dawned in her eyes. "It's today, isn't it?"

He was grateful that he always seemed to understand her shorthand. "Yeah. How long did I jump?"

"Fifteen years."

"Seems to be the standard, doesn't it?"

"And you're probably wondering how everything turned out, aren't you?" She sat down on the couch and got comfortable, her eyes twinkling up at him.

"You don't mind being late again?" he teased.

"Today's dedicated to you. That's what sick days are for!" They laughed for a minute before Chloe got down to business. "We never did discover if your forays into the future were only for an hour of that time so we should get down to it."

"I'd appreciate it," he smiled. "Gotta' have that inside information to see if this is the right one. But I have to say I'm glad you're still alive. It's been hell having you be dead every time I come to the future."

"Well, it wasn't so comfortable for me to hear it every time either," she admitted. She tapped her lips and thought for a minute before speaking again. "So we gotta' have the basics. You've become a private investigator, but really a hero 'for hire' although you never take money. Think shades of that show 'Angel.' It's been really cool for you and you've helped a lot of people."

He was floored that he'd gone to those type of extremes. "It sounds like being a hero has taken over my life," he said hesitantly.

She looked at him, and he thought her smile had turned a little sad. "Well, some sacrifices had to be made… and the well-being of the world usually takes precedence." She shook her head. "Anyway, Lana and Lex got married…"

"They were married in the last timeline," he said in shock, "but I thought that had been some sort of anomaly. I guess my paranoia on silver kryptonite hadn't been so far off, had it?"

"Well, she kinda' took your comment that she should just whine to Lex to heart. Surprisingly, they've always been rather close. She even blamed you more for her broken leg that time than Lex who'd actually thrown her in front of the horse."

He sighed. "Does she really love him? Are they happy?"

She shrugged. "They're as happy as they can be, I think. From something Lex said before he started focusing entirely on his fortune and level of power, he'd had the opportunity to be blissfully happy with Lana, but she'd died and he'd been poor. It had been a turning point for him and he'd turned the wrong way." She grimaced. "He's really the reason why I'm still working in the obit department. I'd tried to shine my light on his nefarious activities too often and he'd had my career stagnated. It was such a Luthor thing to do…"

"He actually did that? But why? He's always been able to turn public opinion with his money."

"And he did. Without a dissenting voice, he's become almost beloved around the nation. His company has pioneered national defense equipment and advances in energy conservation. If he didn't always sink the competition and steal their ideas, he'd be rather admirable. Instead, he operates mostly inside the law with a number of startling reversals of that attitude. He's quite ruthless about it. But Lana… well, Lana just enjoys what the money provides her and isn't really upset when they don't see each other for long lengths of time. Not a relationship I would want, but I'm not Lana."

"Thank goodness," Clark breathed. As soon as he'd said it, he kinda' wanted to take it back, but he had to hope she just hadn't heard him.

From her smile, he realized that wasn't a possibility. "Don't worry, Clark. We haven't been friends with them for awhile. I've never been certain if we decided that or if they had… but whatever. We haven't been invited to a Luthor function in a long time."

Clark wondered if he felt sad about that. Lex had been a confusing relationship for him from the start and Lana always made him feel like he'd let her down somehow. It had become increasingly difficult to be friends with them even in his real time. "So, what else has happened?"

"Lois decided to become a world traveler. Sometimes I wonder if that's so she can try and find Lucy, but she's never really confided that in me. But she does tour guide duty sometimes and she gives us the 411 on impending international affairs. It seems to work out pretty well."

"Bet the General was pissed," he laughed.

She smiled. "He wasn't too happy, but he'd also become concerned about Lucy… and Lois didn't give him any other options. She never did finish college so what exactly was he to do? It helped that she'd dabbled in politics with your mom as state and then federal Senator. But when Mrs. Kent decided to focus on affairs at home, she had a decision to make. And you know Lois…"

"Yeah, I know Lois," he groaned. "So she never tried to be more than friends again?"

"She was really hurt for a long time, Clark. But when you came out, she said she was glad she didn't have to deal with that." Chloe smiled and Clark could see the sadness again. He wondered why that was there. "I find that amusing because she's always fallen for the hero type. I think she may have dated the entire super-powered community."

"And Mom became a federal Senator? That must have been crazy!" He thought for a minute. "But that must have meant our family was even more under the microscope. How did my secret not come out?" He looked at Chloe and realized she wasn't meeting his eyes on this one. "You mean everyone knows? How…? When…? What did I…?"

Chloe laughed at his obvious confusion and put her hand on his knee. "It turned out just fine, Clark. Look, why don't I fix us one of your fruit drinks and I'll go over it a little more. It wouldn't do for you to know everything because that's never healthy…" She stood up and moved to the kitchen. They were both startled by a sharp crack that sounded through the apartment. Chloe turned looking down at a bright red bloom of blood that had suddenly appeared on her shirt. She looked up at him in shock. "Clark…?" she started before her knees gave way beneath her.

"Chloe!" he shouted and was at her side before she hit the floor. "Chloe, what should I do? Chloe? Chloe!!!" Nothing was heard from the still form in his arms and he realized that he couldn't hear her breathing or her heart beating. "Chloe, no!" he wailed and clasped her in his arms. Tears fell into her hair and his mind was a total blank. He lowered her to the floor and examined the wound. The bullet had pierced her heart straight through. Even if he could remember how to do CPR, it wasn't going to help. He picked her up again so he could race them to the hospital. Perhaps they could help.

A wave of vertigo hit him hard. "No!" he shouted in defiance. "Not now!" But his defiance met with no relief and he felt himself fall hard backward onto the floor. His last realization as the world went black was that Chloe's life blood was pooling around him.

_**

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A/N: Longer than I thought. Yea me! Oh, and in case you hadn't noticed, I always had a thing for Clark's loft in "Lois and Clark", so I kiped it! ;D **Longer than I thought. Yea me!_

_CSLUVSCK: We could have a beautiful baby-off! How exciting!!! ;D Anyways, back to the topic at hand, I've always loved Chlark stuff because they're what I imagine a good relationship to be like… snarky, but not mean… caring… and they're so much more fun than all the other relationships they've put Clark in that are so angst-ridden that it makes my flesh crawl! But that's just me…_

_Regan: Welcome! I agree with your Smallville/AU opinion, but I think they're really taking it too far. And yea! Another Chlarker! We will triumph!!!_

_markmark261: I think I'm think in the mystic vein. The Powers That Be (PTB) have given him the opportunity? And who would he trust? So that's why Jonathan's there. Thankfully, he only pops up one more time… at least in my head. I hadn't thought of Chloe as "too perfect", but I can see where you'd get that. She hasn't ranted or raved about her "death sentence". I think I was coming at it from the attitude that she seems to think she's going to go mad eventually. Therefore, if she dies early, she doesn't have to worry about that. And in my life, if you have a pair of friends and one starts panicking, the other gets strangely calm and rational, even if that's not their normal modus operandi. Boy, I packed a lot of assumptions in there without a lot of exposition. I'll have to work on that…_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N:** At first, I wasn't going to mention Lois. After I nixed the romance idea, I thought it wouldn't be so terrible. But let's look at this logically. She's still Chloe's cousin. She's always going to be in his life via that connection so a quick mention isn't a bad thing…_

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Chapter 12

"Clark? Clark!" he could hear Chloe's voice above him. Opening his eyes, he could see her worried face hovering. He dragged her into another hug before another word was said. She went extremely still and gently drew away from him. He could see her face was extremely pale. "It happened again, didn't it? I was dead."

"No," he protested. "You came by my apartment to carpool to work."

She looked at him and shook her head. "Clark…" she warned.

He sighed. She'd know if he lied to her… "You were shot and died. I would have rushed you to the hospital but the time was apparently up. I couldn't do… I would have moved heaven and earth… You have to believe that."

She gave him a small smile and touched his cheek. "Of course I do…" He could feel her hand trembling and knew she was close to losing it. He would have taken her back in his arms, but she gave herself a little shake and the trembling stopped. Suddenly, she was all business. "So what happened?"

"Yes, what happened this time?" Martha said from his other side. He blushed slightly realizing that he hadn't even noticed her there. They helped him back up to the couch and he sat there for a minute. It was becoming harder and harder to shake off these voyages to the future and he still wasn't actually sleeping…

"It was actually the most normal it's ever been." He struggled for a moment to put it into words. "I wasn't living with anyone. Chloe had come to pick me up for work and apparently I make us chronically late. She was working at the Planet in the obit department…"

"Still?" she cried. "What happened to Chloe Sullivan, star reporter with fabulous editorial?"

"Apparently, Lex has become a huge financial power and you were constantly writing negative articles about him. They never made it to print and it really stunted your career."

She sighed bitterly. "Figures…"

He encircled her shoulders with his arm. "Don't worry, Chlo. This isn't going to be the final say in this. I don't know how or why, but you were going to get us some sort of fruit juice and someone shot you in my living room."

Martha looked at him. "Did you see anyone? Why would anyone try to hurt Chloe if she just does obituaries?"

"I don't know… but it was a good shot. It pierced her straight through the heart." His eyes started to fill up again at the memory. "I could have saved her… you… I was just going to run you to the hospital when I passed out…"

Chloe put her hand on his knee, startling Clark with the familiarity of the gesture. "Don't worry, Clark. This'll sound morbid, but I'm starting to get used to it... But what else did you find out? Your mom's right. There would have been no reason for someone to take a hit out on me."

He thought hard about what he'd learned. "Well, Lex and Lana got married. Mom was a state Senator in the federal legislature. Lois was traveling the world looking for Lucy… I was a private investigator and hero for hire…"

Chloe stopped him cold. "What did you just say?"

"Lois was traveling the world looking for…"

"Don't try my patience, farmboy. You were a hero for hire?"

He shrugged, embarrassed. "You said I didn't actually take money for saving people. It was just the easiest way to describe it, I think. And I don't know exactly what it entailed, but my 'secret identity' has… had… been out for a long time. I don't know if it was because of something I'd done or if it was the extra scrutiny our family would get because Mom became a federal legislator…"

"Well, we've been up all night. I might as well make us an early breakfast so we can think clearly. I know I'm as fuzzy as a teddy bear but as jumpy as a Mexican Jumping Bean from all the coffee." Martha laughed to herself as she moved to make something for everyone. "I thought this was supposed to be _Clark's_ trial…"

Clark met Chloe's eyes and they grinned at Martha Kent's practicality. Sure, neither of them had eaten since dinner the previous night and they'd not been to sleep, but who else could have taken this so much in stride that they'd make an early breakfast. "Good thing I can always eat, right?"

"Hmmmm…" she agreed as her eyes took on a distant cast. He recognized that she was in full Musing Mode and stayed quiet. She surely wouldn't appreciate being interrupted at this point. "When did everyone find out about you? Was it before or after your mom got her Senate seat?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea. You never said."

"Hmmm… But you said you were a 'hero for hire'?"

"But I didn't take money…"

She looked at him seriously for a moment, but he could see the humor lurking in her eyes. "I'm actually surprised you went public with your powers. There had to have been a reason…"

"But what does that have to do with anything? Why would that matter?" He was confused… but willing to hear her out.

"Well, you've always been concerned about being shoved in a lab somewhere and having experiments done on you… and being open about your powers _would_ make it harder for you to just disappear… but after the Pete thing…" She trailed off apologetically.

He was starting to understand where she was going with that. "But wouldn't going public make it so people wouldn't torture my friends to get my secret? Because my secret wouldn't be secret anymore?"

Chloe started to laugh. "Only you would think that would be the cure-all for your problems. Oy, Clark!" She continued for a minute but then sobered. "It's just that everyone you know, love and care for would be known too," she said sympathetically. "They'd know where you live… and I'm sure you'll make more enemies than you already have…"

He gaped at her in horror. "I… I… You mean, I put everyone…"

She shrugged. "In some semblance of danger, maybe. But most of us live with a bit of danger anyway. After all, I died every other time earlier than this time and you kept your secret…"

"But I couldn't just sit back and do nothing!"

She groaned. "Did I say you should? That isn't the answer either… and you can't cut yourself off from humanity…" She tapped her lips for a moment as she thought. "What about a costume?"

"Are you serious?" he laughed. When she didn't join it, he gaped at her again. "I'd be even more of a freak than I already am!"

"Don't be stupid. It's actually a miracle that you haven't already been outed because of all the work you've done since freshman year! You should already have reporters camped out in front of your door." She laughed. "I honestly don't know how you got so lucky. Maybe Fortune smiles on the well-intentioned, but you can't expect her to do that forever."

"But I don't want to look like a clown…"

"You won't… Not if we do it right. And it might seem funny at first, but it'd be more than a costume... more like a uniform… like a super-powered police officer."

He wanted to reject it… to say he'd rather die… but it was a thought. It had the potential of protecting those around him and his private life. He shrugged. "I suppose I could always try it…"

Chloe clapped her hands. "Good, now what we should do…" Her voice seemed to be getting further and further away. _Not again. You'd think they'd have a better transition tool_, he thought in frustration, just before his eyes rolled up in his head.

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A/N: I also just realized that this was the tool I used to have Chloe talk to the PTB in "The Sun Goddess". Hmmm… I guess I figure it's better than hearing voices and seriously thinking you're going crazy… **_

_Pyrebi: I am working on my evil skills. I think in this day of P.C.-ness and lawsuits, some people hesitate to be truly evil… me being one of them. But I can typically do it without fear in my fan fic… And no, not going to explain… Oh, okay… You beat it out of me. I was thinking that they carpool and, even though his secret is out, his pervading desire for "normalcy" encourages him to do things the "usual" way. That and if he's anything like me, he needs someone to kick his behind out of bed._

_lil-wouldgirl: Well, she was shot by a sniper. But I can't say much more about that. Not because it'll ruin the story, but because what if I have to use the same plot device later? ;D And why is Chloe typically sad? Jimmy… Well, Shawn (or is it Aaron?) Ashmore is fairly cute, but I have a number of problems with the character and with the casting. But because you like him, I'll let that go! ;D Personally, I think they're hesitant about a true Chlark angle. Don't ask me why 'cause I can't see into their minds._

_Me: Thanks for the encouragement! ;D_

_SeasonVelvet: I'm not sure how to take you comment… I'm glad you liked it, but you seemed to have something more to say. In regards to my time, writing fan fiction like this sometimes just flies off my fingers… especially if I have a good outline to work with. But thanks!!!_

_markmark261: I will definitely take that into consideration. I guess he doesn't necessarily have to know everything right away, right? My only thought was that Chloe, being the smart little cookie she is and knowing the purpose of these visits, would try and keep as up to date as possible so she could give him all the info he needed. After all, how would Clark know if his small decisions are the right ones if he doesn't get confirmation that all is well and good with the world in the amount of time he has left? And you mean hearts don't breath? Oh my goodness! What was I thinking?!?_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N:** I feel like I'm ripping through this story currently. Just today, I've written 3 chapters, not including this one. Of course, I'm not going to post them all at once… But if the outline is any indication, this is going to definitely be a longer one._

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Chapter 13

It was almost a relief to wake up in the same place as he had the previous time. It was a bit disorienting to always wake up in a different area. It felt very discourteous of the PTB. He saw the sun coming in through his window at nearly the same angle and wondered if he's waking up in the same dream… or if he was always waking up at the same time of day. He laughed to himself. Really, there was no way for him to find that out and, considering he only had about an hour, he really didn't have time to worry about it. His brain foggily recalled the night setting with Lois and the one with Lex seemed like afternoon. But he wasn't really equipped to think about it too much… right then.

"Clark…" Chloe called. "We're going to be late… again!"

At the first sound of her voice, he'd sped into action. He dashed into his clothes and was in the other room before she could finish wondering where he was. He swept her into a hug, swinging her so his back was to the window which protected her from the potential of a sniper if it was indeed the same future. He scanned the surrounding area and didn't see anything out of place, which didn't quite decrease his anxiety.

She laughed. "I didn't realize today was the day… Do you want the long or the short version?"

"How is everyone?" he asked, hungry for the knowledge. He really wanted this whole thing to be over and if this was the "perfect future", then maybe it would be…

"Short version it is," she teased. "Okay, your mom quit politics after her current tenure in your time. Lana actually decided she hated men and has become a lesbian painter. Lois is still looking for Lucy, but we're all starting to get a little worried. Lex is running for president, but he's been running into a lot of snags…" She seemed a little proud of that fact.

"_You're_ the snag, hmmm?" he grinned at her.

"Well," she smiled naughtily, "I may have _something_ to do with it."

Clark looked at her in surprise. "And he hasn't tried to submarine your career?"

"Do you want to hear the entire story or do you want to keep interrupting?" She tried to look severe, but it totally didn't work. He held up his hands in surrender. "Right… so we'd ended on Lex, hadn't we? Your P.I. firm is doing really well. We've been wondering at that, especially considering that the economy has been dropping and you would think people couldn't afford your services…"

"I'm not charging people for helping them, am I?" He was horrified at the idea.

"Not for saving them… only for the P.I. work. Thankfully, you don't get many spying on the spouse cases. Mostly it's for missing persons or items… sometimes recovering something that was stolen. For a P.I. firm, you're pretty respectable."

"But if I'm busy with the business, how do I know when I can use my powers for the greater good?" It seemed like he wouldn't be able to do both, but it was encouraging that he'd been able to so far.

She grinned. "That's because I'm your link to the breaking news. Since I have my own personal hero to cover, I'm a star reporter… and Lex hasn't been able to do a damn thing against me." She looked at him. "Listen Clark, I can tell you all about it on our way to work. Your office is close to mine and since you only have an hour…"

"Am I dressed okay?" He suddenly realized he was a businessman and should possibly dress for the part.

She took in his blue shirt and dark jeans. "It's pretty much par for the course. Your clients don't hire you for your fashion sense… they hire you for your results. You make a really good living, so it doesn't matter if snobby potential clients are left. Your name is always in the paper when you help the police break a case. Just grab that bag and we'll head out."

He obeyed her and they headed down to her car. He was just admiring her fabulous new Toyota Eos when he caught a look at her profile. Something wasn't quite right. She hadn't lied to him or anything, but there was something else going on that she hadn't said. She looked tired and like she was close to defeat. When they were seated, he turned and looked at her. "Chloe, you're not telling me everything. What should I know?"

"It's so close to the perfect you wanted," she hedged. "I don't want to worry you."

"Like I'm not freaking out now? Just tell me," he said firmly. He wiggled out of too many tough explanation situations using all sorts of methods that he wasn't about to let her use one on him.

"The world's in a bad way," she said sadly. "They're losing all hope. And there's no end in sight… only views of more of the same or worse."

"What do you think the problem is?"

She laughed wryly. "If I didn't know you were your 18 year old self in your 33 year old body, I would accuse you of never reading my column. Actually, I'm not sure you do now, but that's neither here nor there. Are you sure you want to know?" She looked at him closely and he nodded. "The people need a leader… some symbol of hope… someone that shows them that there are people in the world who will do the right thing purely because it's the right thing to do."

"They don't have anything like that now?" He was shocked. He'd always had various people he'd looked up to in his youth. Dr. Swann… Lex at one point… Chloe herself… Wasn't there anyone for others?

"We've been plagued with bad leaders. The people that get voted in are men and women who use their position to impose on those who can't fight back." She sighed. "I've been trying to help install some hope, but people so rarely read the paper at all, so getting to my Page Six cheerleading speech is beyond most of them. I don't know what else I can do… Something has to be done soon or I really think Lex will win the election purely because the people will believe his business acumen means he'll be the perfect leader for the nation."

They stopped at the light and Chloe turned eyes of such trust and expectation on Clark that he felt distinctly unworthy. How could he, an alien farm boy from Smallville, Kansas, hope to inspire people? But she had him trapped with that gaze. "What could **_I_** have done? Personally, I think you have the wrong man…"

"You've been so worried about exposure that it's inhibited your ability to inspire others. You hide all of your good deeds and assistance except what I write… usually against what you really want. You're getting to the point where people think of you as an urban legend rather than a real person they could look up to." He opened his mouth to protest… to give his reasons… but she hurried on. "It's not your fault… I know why you've chosen this route, but there are times when you have to work beyond the fear… to do what's right even though some sacrifices may have to be made." She pulled up to a beautiful Brownstone building about three blocks from the Daily Planet. "I'll be by at 6 to pick you up for dinner, okay?"

"I'll think about what you said… I promise."

"Don't worry too much about it, Clark. It's bound to get better soon," she said, but her smile revealed her lie. "See you at 6!" and she drove off.

He looked at the labels on the door and figured he had to be a part of "Kent Enterprises." It rather touched his funny bone that he was now an entrepreneur. He wondered if he'd asked Lex for advice when he started it up. When he passed through the front door, he was amazed at the simplistic beauty of the place. He was also glad to see it wasn't that large, but he could tell he was doing well.

"Hello, Mr. Kent," the receptionist chirped at him. He smiled at the young cherubic looking young woman.

"Hey there," he said. He was embarrassed that he didn't know her name, but told himself not to be silly. There was no way he could. "Do we have any appointments today?"

She shook her head energetically. "No, sir. You wanted to be available to celebrate Ms. Sullivan's latest news scoop. You were thinking about taking her out to lunch. I'll make sure that any drop-in potential clients don't interfere with your plans."

He smiled at her and she blushed. "Thanks so much! I'll be in my office…"

As he walked in, he almost groaned with happiness. It was so perfectly to his tastes. It had all the elements he'd admired in Lex's library with none of the pretentiousness. It was exactly what he'd pictured his father's Senate office would have been like. He put his bag on his desk. _I can check out the office later_, he thought. _I gotta' check out the outfit Chloe's picked out for me._ Inside, he discovered a skin-tight outfit, possibly in a protective techno-fiber. It even had a mask and he had to roll his eyes at how hokey he felt just looking at it. _It's just so melodramatic!_

Before he could see what the inevitable shoes would look like, the receptionist buzzed through. "Mr. Kent, Pauline Kahn is on the phone for you… Line 2."

It took him a moment or three to remember the name which seemed so familiar. _Oh, Chloe's editor! Can't believe she's still there… Why would she call me?_ "Hello, Ms. Kahn. What can I do for you?"

"I have some bad news, Mr. Kent... and you are listed as Chloe Sullivan's emergency contact." The voice seemed to have had all the emotion leeched out of it.

The bottom dropped out of his stomach. "What's wrong? Is Chloe in trouble? Where is she?"

"She was at a press conference for Lex Luthor," she started, but her voice cracked. Clark realized that she was far more affected than he'd given her credit for. "She was shot, Mr. Kent."

"Ch…Chloe? Shot? But how could that happen? Did she take a bullet for Lex?" He fired off the questions, his heart pounding heavily in his chest.

"I have no answers for you. Ms. Sullivan made a lot of enemies with the very articles and editorials that made the Daily Planet a nationwide best seller. She will be missed. I'm terribly sorry for your loss." She hung up the phone immediately, as if to continue would have been even more painful for her.

Clark could only stare off into space. He replaced the receiver only when the off-the-hook signal sounded in his ear. _Chloe? Dead? But I did everything right this time. No one could possibly know what I looked like with that ridiculous mask!_ He slumped into his office chair and placed his head on the desk in defeat. _What am I going to tell Chloe?_ As the familiar vertigo and fading vision took him, he thought, _At least I'm in the right spot to make the transition comfortably_.

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A/N: For those that are interested, I was just looking at cars and the Toyota Eos caught my eye, hence it's mention. ;D **_

_markmark261: FABULOUS! Any time I can get someone to do an LOL is a good day for me. ;D And I was thinking about your comment two chapters ago… Because Clark has so little time in the "future" and Chloe knows not only his secret but also what's going on and why, it only makes sense for her to give her edited update. It always seems redundant, but how else would he know if he'd finally made the right decisions?_

_CSLUVSCK: My goal in life is to keep ya'll entertained, so thanks for letting me know I'm achieving at least that goal! ;D_

_starbug93: Welcome to the party! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. I'm also a major Chlark-er and I'm dying for some of it to happen on the show. I almost had a coronary at the end of last season!!!_

_me: Thanks for the review. Nice short and sweet! ;D_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N:**__ My only excuse for the latest late excuse is that I've, once again, been ill. It's driving me crazy and the residual vertigo is driving me insane. But that's just me whining… as usual. ;D_

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Chapter 14

Clark woke to Chloe holding his hand, looking extremely worried about something. Before he moved to sit up, she brushed her fingers along his cheekbones. When they came back wet, he knew that he'd been crying. "What happened this time, Clark?"

_I can't tell her. How can I? That even with all my powers, I can't seem to save her life? I feel like such a failure! She was just with me and then she was gone! Who would want to kill Chloe?_ He wanted to curl up in a ball and actually sleep. It was exhausting to have Chloe be dead in his future or get killed right in front of him. He sighed.

Even without him saying a word, somehow she knew. She paled and sat on the sofa a little shakily. She smiled at him, but he knew she was just holding in her tears. After all, who really wanted to know that they had fifteen years maximum of life left? "It's okay," she said softly. "I'm sure you tried… and everyone has to die eventually, right?"

"It's just not fair! You had nearly everything you wanted. You were a star reporter. I was able to help people inconspicuously… And then you were shot at a stupid press conference… A press conference for Lex Luthor, no less! Ms. Kahn said it couldn't even have been meant for him. Chloe, do you have to piss off everyone?" He'd meant it as a joke, but it was evident his heart couldn't joke about it yet. He cleared his throat. "It feels like you're being ripped from me!"

She looked at him curiously. "Why do I matter that much? I'm just a reporter, for crying out loud. I don't do great charity work… I'm not a great pioneer of science or morality… Why does it matter? If it was so great in that future, maybe we should just leave well enough alone…"

He could only stare at her. It felt like she'd just taken a fist full of kryptonite and nailed him in the stomach. "Of course you matter! We just have to figure out a better future, that's all…"

She got up impatiently and headed toward the kitchen counter where Martha Kent was just laying out breakfast. Apparently, breakfast had been put on hold for his latest dreamfest. "Don't be stupid. You said that your identity was a secret. I was a star reporter for all the time that I have. What does it matter if I… die… during a press conference? At least I died with my boots on." She sat down at the counter and pushed out the other stool. "So, tell me what else you learned…"

He looked at her. She was taking this too calmly. But then he thought about those paradox-centric SciFi shows he used to watch with his dad. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you… It might affect the future." She hissed in irritation and stabbed her fork into his hand. The tines just peeled away, but it did indicate that he didn't have too many chances. And if he didn't just come out and tell her, she'd hound him until he spilled eventually. "Fine. Mom quit the Senate… I can only guess so that my secret wouldn't come out. Lex is running for the presidency again… apparently legally this time. Lana's gone lesbo…" Chloe choked on her eggs and Clark had to pat between her shoulder blades. "Are you okay?" She just waived him on to continue as she gulped down some orange juice. "But even though I can help others, life's really hard. I don't know why. You wouldn't go into it. You're trying to stop Lex from being president, but people have lost faith and he's their symbol of hope."

"**_Lex_** is their symbol of hope?" she gasped, staring at him.

He nodded. "I don't know why. I guess other elected people are abusing their position for power and money and maybe, since Lex has all of that already…" He shrugged. "I don't know what would be a better symbol for a disenfranchised people… especially when they're just looking for something to maybe improve the status quo. Don't they know that life could be so much better for them if they stand up for what is right?" He felt an odd sense of conviction envelope him. Someone had to make them see… Chloe laughed almost hysterically. It caught him off guard and he could only stare at her for a moment. "What's so funny?"

She shook her head. "Why don't you eat at the table for a minute?"

"You know I'll just listen in…"

She glared at him. "Clark Kent, you'd better not! I'm not going to have you make fun of my idea until it's fully realized." She dumped a bunch of food on a plate and shoved him toward the table. Then she bolted off for a pen and paper before returning to talk to his mother.

Reluctantly, he obeyed. After all, it wasn't the first time she'd been shy about telling him an idea before she'd gotten it all planned out and all of her arguments marshaled. He thought about possibilities that Chloe wouldn't get killed… _She'd be furious if I shadowed her all the time… and then I wouldn't be able to help anyone else. Maybe we could calculate the exact date and she could wear Kevlar that day…_ A heated discussion from the kitchen interrupted his thoughts. Two heads were hovering over Chloe's piece of paper and they were pointing emphatically at different points on the paper. Quietly, he snuck up to the counter to see what they were working so diligently on.

He stared at the paper blankly until he finally realized exactly what he was looking at. A stylized outfit that molded to every part of his body was depicted. It had a shield that looked a lot like the completed crystal on front. "I can't wear that," he choked loudly, startling the two women. "Everyone would laugh at me. I can't… I won't… It's ridiculous!" Two pairs of wounded eyes stared at him unnervingly. He felt his face heat up and his chest seize up. He'd hardly ever been able to deny Chloe when she was really determined on something, but to add his mother to the equation… He cleared his throat. "Chloe…" he whined. "It's too embarrassing… and tight fitting. Couldn't it have nice slacks and a T-shirt? Why does it have to look like something out of the comic books?"

She smiled triumphantly and he knew he'd lost. He should have known better than to try and justify himself while he was feeling guilty. She had him and they all knew it. "It won't be embarrassing, Clark. It's like we said before, it's a uniform… a symbol. I know exactly what type of outfit you designed for yourself last time… all black, maybe a mask…"

He gasped. "How'd you know?"

She laughed. "Because that's your idea of inconspicuous… all black with something to cover your face." She smiled at him. "But you said it yourself… Everyone needs a symbol of hope… Someone to look up to… Someone to emulate! You've inspired people that have lived here with your good deeds. If you'd only get over yourself, you'd inspire the world!"

He blushed. "B…b…but if I don't have a mask, everyone will be in danger…"

She shrugged. "I know that you think that… but why did we think that a mask would work? I mean, your heat vision would torch it every time you used that particular power…"

"We could get something flame resistant…" he suggested hopelessly.

Martha laughed. "With as many things as you've inadvertently torched, son, I don't think that's possible."

He knew that he had to put a damper on this as soon as possible. He had to find a problem or they really were going to shove him into that thing! "Well, that's true for the whole thing, Mom. You know how fast I go through clothes… I'd have to be a billionaire to be able to afford re-outfitting myself in that every time. At least with plain black clothes, I could find them fairly cheaply…"

He stuttered to a stop as his mother straightened up with a shocked look on her face. Without a word, she dashed out of the room, leaving the two teens to stare at each other in wonder. Before they were able to gather their wits and dash after her or wonder aloud where she'd gone, she was back with a red basket filled with shiny red and blue material edged with yellow. Her face was filled with excited triumph.

"What is that?" Clark asked curiously.

"This is what we'll make your uniform out of. It's the blankets and basket you were sent to Earth in…" She fingered the material gently, her face reminiscent of easier times.

Chloe came over and touched the stuff. "It's really nice… but why would you think…?"

"That it would hold up?" Martha giggled and the two teens exchanged a glance. "These were the only things baby Clark wasn't able to destroy. Never a rip… never a tear. Maybe they're not indestructible, but they should be the toughest material on the planet. It should be able to keep up with him."

Clark wanted to go over and touch it… it seemed to emanate security for him… but he felt rooted to the spot. He groaned as his vision started to narrow to pinpricks. He could feel himself toppling over to the floor like a statue.

"You know, this is ridiculous. We can't even maintain a normal conversation with him right now…" Chloe's voice was the last thing he heard.

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**A/N:**_ As we stand at the end of this latest chapter, I have to admit that I have finished this fic. I will still be posting slowly so that people that might normally miss it will catch it. Unfortunately, my efforts on the sequels that have been requested are coming slowly. However, I do have another fluffy little fic that I've been working on that I'll probably post. I mean, why not? And now to respond to all you lovely reviewers!_

_spaceboi's pixie: Welcome back! I've been missing you! I had to throw in the Chlois angle. I mean, as it stands with this show, I absolutely detest that pairing. But it's the mythos and should be addressed at some point… especially when we're talking about possible futures._

_lil-wolfgirl: Normally, I would not consistently kill of Chloe if any of my personalities were in charge. But I had this dream and it was so vivid and was kinda' along these lines that I thought it was a fantastic thing to try._

_markmark261: I'm always messing up with the present/past tense verbage! I swear, one day I'll write an entire chapter and not have to correct myself. You're probably right about the shooting. I guess for me, it's the fastest and easiest way to kill her again. Oh, now **that** sounded terrible! If I'd been thinking properly, last chapter I could have done it differently… had something drop on her and crush her… or a poisoning… Should I just go back??? I'm so torn about that!!!_


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N:** I fixed it! She does **not** get shot again! Ahhhh… Such a sense of triumph!_

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Chapter 15

_It's the loft again_, he thought as he woke and felt a sense of rightness. The décor had some minor changes, but it was practically the same. _You know, this is the third time... Maybe this is the place that I should be in… the place that's best for me._ He smiled at that. To finally have something that was about the same in this ever changing landscape of futures was rather comforting.

Instead of hanging out in bed until the very last moment, he bounded out of bed with purpose. He knew Chloe had made that absurd outfit and he just had to find it. It didn't take him too long. It was hidden in a secret compartment behind his closet so that a casual searcher wouldn't be able to find it. Looking at it, he started to think he might not look too terrible in it. _At least it's in blue_, he thought wryly… but he couldn't be absolutely surprised. Chloe knew that was his favorite and best color. _Like she'd really dress me in anything that would make me look bad._

He struggled into the outfit. It definitely was form fitting and it made him wonder if the contortions he was putting himself through to get it on was the type of thing women had to do to get their nylons on… He looked at himself in the mirror and all his complaints fell away. He felt transformed… The material molded perfectly to his body. He looked… like someone you could trust… He felt his spine straighten even further and he smiled. They'd done an awesome job. He didn't look ridiculous at all.

"Clark, are you going to sleep in there all day?" Chloe called.

He looked in the mirror again and felt a reluctance to take off the outfit. It had taken him a good five minutes to put it on already. If he had to peel it off and put it on for every emergency, he'd never get anything done! He looked at the outfit and realized he could probably fit his clothes on over them. _Good thing I never get hot. But I'll never be able to wear short-sleeves if I have to wear this every day…_ Quickly he threw on an outfit and walked out into the front room.

The first thing he noticed was that she seemed more relaxed than before… that life didn't seem to wear on her as much as it had the last time. She smiled at him and he pulled her into a huge hug. She pulled away for a minute and looked into his eyes. "Aw, crap," she muttered. "Is it really happening today?"

He would have asked what she meant, but the door burst open. A wild-eyed Lex stood before them, breathing hard. Something about his eyes made Clark move Chloe behind him protectively. If he had anything to say about it, this time Chloe would live. Lex smiled and held up a piece of kryptonite. Clark looked at Lex in shock as his legs collapsed under him. "Why?" he gasped from his knees, feeling the radiation flooding his body. In the back of his head, he was surprised that it didn't seem as immediately incapacitating as normal.

"Why? Why?!?" Lex screamed, spittle flying everywhere. Lex's eyes were red-rimmed and unfocused. _He's lost it_, Clark thought despairingly. If Lex knew his secret, there was nothing he could do or say to stop him. "It's your fault… Your fault!"

"What have I done? Lex, please just tell me!" Clark knew he was looking for a miracle, but his former friend had to be in there somewhere…

"Everything I've done… everything I've touched… has gone wrong… and it's all because of you. You were the reason for the meteor shower that ruined my life… Lana always loved you more… My father even preferred you to me! How could you ask that?!?"

Clark could only stare at him from his knees, hoping he could somehow overpower Lex… but he knew that wasn't likely as long as he held that stone. He had to bring his old friend back to himself… "I just can't believe it took me so long… so long to figure out you were him… that you were the one fighting me." Lex looked at him sadly for a moment and it seemed like he was coming back to himself. "We were friends… once. Why did you ruin me?"

"You were committing crimes, Lex," Chloe interrupted. "Crimes against nature… Crimes against the government… Clark tried to reason with you…"

"But he never told me, did he?" Lex screamed, the insanity returning, perhaps forever. "He never trusted me enough to know that he was different… He didn't trust me enough not to put him in a lab for the rest of his life. We could have helped the world together… Instead you made me the bad guy and yourself the hero." He reached into his stained jacket and pulled out a glowing green knife. Clark could only stare at him in horror. If Lex stabbed him with that, he was as good as dead. "We don't need a god flaunting his powers over the rest of us mere mortals… and I'm going to free us from your tyranny once and for all!"

Clark saw Lex lunge toward him as if it was in slow motion. He tried to dodge to the side, but he felt like he was frozen in place. The only thing that was moving was Lex, the knife… and Chloe. Before he could do anything to stop her, she was thrown back against him, knocking them both to the floor. "Chloe!" he cried, trying to cushion her fall with his body.

"Why did you do it, Chloe? Why? I wasn't going to do anything to you… even though you were as much of a thorn in my side as Clark." He bent down toward her, sorrow in his eyes. "Didn't you see that I had to? That I had to do it?"

"Lex, what have you done?" Clark gasped, the proximity of the kryptonite increasing the effects ten-fold. He gaped down at his best friend with the blade of the knife stuck in her chest.

"What had to be done… maybe this is better. We don't need traitors to the human race about. Everyone thinks you're a hero because of her and she'd have just made you a martyr… when you're really just an invader." He tucked the piece of kryptonite in Clark's front pocket. He groaned as the proximity made his skin crawl in reaction. "Now you'll watch each other die and what better revenge could there be?" With a flourish, Lex flounced out of the room, carefully shutting the door so they wouldn't be discovered too soon.

Clark used his remaining strength to move Chloe to the floor beside him. He moved to press his hand against the wound to try and staunch the bleeding… but the kryptonite blade kept stopping him. Add that with the kryptonite in his pocket and there was nothing he could do. Her eyes fluttered open and his stomach clenched at the pain he saw within them. "Don't worry," he said with forced heartiness. "We'll make it out of this somehow."

She smiled at him and caresses his cheek. "Always the hero… Try not to be so silly forever," she gasped. With trembling fingers, she dug into his pocket and tugged out the kryptonite. She screamed in pain as she leveraged up to her elbow and then threw the rock with all her might out the window. She was wracked with coughs and a trickle of blood coursed from the corner of her mouth as she collapsed back to the floor.

His strength returned to him with a suddenness that surprised him. He raced into the kitchen, grabbed two dish towels and ripped off his belt. Barely remembering his first aid skills, he pressed one to the front of her. He thought about pulling out the blade, but he didn't know what further injuries that would create... or how it would affect him. As it was, her body seemed to be shielding him from the radiation. If he took out the knife, he'd be incapacitated again and wouldn't be able to get her help.

"Clark…" she coughed and he looked in her eyes. "It's no use, Clark."

"No… Don't say that…" He could feel the tears start to come again. A dispassionate part of him wondered that he was crying so much… and was surprised that he wasn't embarrassed by them. He pressed the towel against her chest and belted the make-shift bandage to her chest, but trying not to disturb the knife too much. "As soon as this is done, I'll rush you to the hospital…"

"Clark, listen to me… I've lost all feeling in my legs… there's no telling what the damage is." She sighed softly. "It's too late for me…"

"I… I'll fix things… This won't happen again! I can't lose you…" He felt frantic and helpless, two things he hated to be.

She laughed painfully which ended in a gurgling cough. Her hands clutched at his feebly as if she had no strength for anything. "I've always been willing to die for you. You have to know that. This is the future you wanted. You're a hero that inspires others… like you've always inspired me. You have to concentrate on continuing with the work." She sighed. "I've always been a moth drawn to your flame… It's about time I got burned." She smiled and he was horrified to see a trickle of blood escape the bandage and course down her side. "I've been blessed with every moment of your friendship and I'd do it all again to make sure you're alive in the world." She looked at him with glazed eyes filled with an unexpected emotion. "I love you…" she whispered before she expelled her last breath.

"No… no… no…" he said, staring down at her in horror. She was so still... "Chloe, no… You can't… You can't leave me…" He pulled her head against his chest and started rocking her back and forth. "Chloe…" Almost more than before, he felt cold with an indescribable sense of loss. She'd described herself as a moth, but he'd always thought of her as his flame. He didn't know why she kept dying in these stupid futures, but he was bound and determined to never allow this to happen again. He wasn't certain he could take it again and not become as mad as Lex.

As the darkness took him, he blessed it for the first time. Anything to get him away from here… to a place where he might be able to fix things…

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_**A/N:**__ Well, the holidays and the stomach flu have totally kicked my can. I hope I haven't lost you all to my neglect!_

___SeasonVelvet: Thank you for the feedback! I've been trying really hard, but sometimes I fear that my characterization might be off._

___CSLUVSCK: I'm so sorry for the delay. I've had a reminder popping up on my calendar for weeks, but I was never able to get around to it. Bad author! BAD!!!_

___markmark2: I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that I was done done with the story. I just meant that I was done writing it and now was going to take (apparently) my sweet time uploading chapters! Oy! (And I'll stay subscribed! Thanks:D)_

___I've found myself stymied lately on how they almost refuse to go with the historical story. I'm not saying the comics are perfect by any means. They have their own continuity problems that they usually try to solve with huge "Infinite Crisis"-type storylines. But I definitely have my favorites!_

___The vertigo has finally gone away, but this last week it was the stomach flu. I'm blaming it on all my nieces and nephew that were around during the holidays:D_

___Moon-Memory: Thank you so much for your kind words. I've always loved to write, but always wondered if I was any good. Writing here at FanFiction has given me the morale boosts that I need to keep going on. Thank you! (The blanket idea, sadly, isn't originally mine. I don't recall if it was purely from the comics or if "Lois & Clark" had touched on it as well, but it's really logical!)_

___Berrie: I know that I really make it seem as if he's being led around by the nose by Martha and Chloe. But ultimately, the decision is his. If he decided that he didn't want to wear the suit or be a hero, that's his deal. But I hope you did notice how upset he was that the world wasn't really how he would like it and they just give him the ideas… so besides the time thing, I kinda' felt that with each new possible course of action, he could see where that'll take him and the world._

___Me: I feel like I've let you down, but that's all over now. I'm all ready to update every week… come rain or snow or dead of night:D_


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N:** I have five chapters (including this one) left, but six and a half pages of outline… Is that a good thing or a bad thing?_

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Chapter 16

There was no peaceful waking for Clark this time. From the moment he opened his eyes, he let loose a string of curses that caused his mother to blush in mortification. "Clark!" she gasped. Unheeding, he continued with all the ones he knew and then went back to repeat them.

Chloe hunkered down in front of him. "What happened?" He refused to look at her and just kept up the swearing. From the corner of his eyes, he saw her pale and she sat on the floor. "It happened again, didn't it? I died…"

He looked at her with eyes burning with purpose. "Don't worry. It's not going to happen again."

She laughed lightly which finally made him look at her. "Whatcha' gonna' do, hmmm? We've made a lot of plans to stop it, but it keeps happening. I'm not sure there's anything you can do. Perhaps it's my destiny, you know? Maybe I give you inspiration to keep fighting? That would be something to put on my tombstone…" She shrugged. "Let's be honest… I'm not surprised. I'm always putting myself in the danger zone… I guess it's better than going mad."

"You're not going mad," he said firmly. "You've never shown any signs and there have been signs that she may not have been actually mad. You have to remember that!" He wanted to shake her, but in his state, he couldn't be certain that he wouldn't hurt her. "And you're not _fated_ to die early. That's the coward's way out. We will figure this out!"

She looked at him curiously. "Why is it such a big deal to you?"

"How can you ask me that?" he gasped, hurt by the question. "You're my friend!"

"And you're my friend! I'd rather die protecting you and having the world safe than be alive and knowing you could have stopped it if not for me."

She looked so earnest that Clark had to stop and consider. Could it possibly be some sort of Fate that's demanding her death? He shook his head. "One of the things Dad said was that you were important to the world. If the dreams continue to come, then obviously I'm missing something. And I'm not going to stop until you're safe… even if that means I take whatever you got that was meant for me."

Martha stood above them and groaned. "You know, we raised you to think of others before yourself, but I didn't think it had spread so much that you and your friends have a tendency toward martyrdom." Clark stared at her in shock. She'd never spoken to him like that before. Chloe blushed and dropped her eyes to the ground. "There's a future out there where both of you survive and are happy. You just have to find it."

"You're right, Mrs. Kent. Sorry about that." Chloe started stubbing her toe on the floor in embarrassment. "It's just that when you think the world actually might have a chance if you just sacrifice yourself… Well, you tend to think about being noble… which makes you sound suicidal."

"That's fine, dear," Martha laughed. "Just remember that such extreme antics aren't necessarily needed."

Chloe looked at Clark for a long moment. "That's something this one needs to learn… but back to the situation at hand… Lex recognized him even though he's in uniform. That's a new problem to consider. Lex and others _know_ him. What are we going to do since a mask is totally out of the question?"

"What about costuming Clark himself?" Martha suggested. "Make him someone that…"

"…No one would ever suspect of being a vigilante superhero! Mrs. Kent, that's pure genius!" Clark was actually surprised that she wasn't jumping up and down in her excitement, and was unnerved when she turned a considering eye his way. "First things first… you have to stop being so darn heroic in your real life… Why don't you try a coward's pose? Then you'd have an excuse to disappear and get changed…"

He gaped at his friend. "I don't thing I could…"

She waved his excuse away. "It's called acting. You've never been a coward, but you have to act more afraid. You totally have that indestructible attitude down. It's a dead giveaway." He shrugged. Her point was even pointer than normal. It was hard to flinch from a gun when you knew it was just going to bounce off your skin. "But you're a good looking guy. People are always going to notice you…"

"Glasses maybe," Martha murmured distractedly, also caught up in considering Clark.

"Oooo! Those glasses he had to get while he was recovering from being temporarily blind…" She clapped her hands. "That would obscure part of his face… It would be very Andrea of you. But still… It needs something else."

"You can't just expect me to change everything just so Lex won't recognize me in the costume!" Clark protested. "He's not going to be fooled that easily."

Chloe walked around him, looking him up and down. He fought down the urge to blush. He felt so… so… so much like a piece of meat at that moment. She snapped her fingers. "Two things… You can't be a private investigator. I think it's too close… I think you should wear suits…"

"They'll never believe a farmer wearing suits all the time. This isn't Green Acres, you know!" he snorted.

"Don't be a smart a… aleck," she snapped back, looking guiltily at Martha. "It'd be perfect to hide the suit and your body… which is fantastic, by the way."

"Chloe!" Clark gasped.

Martha giggled. "It's all that farm work. It certainly does a body good."

Chloe blushed and went on. "It's true. And you definitely don't want any bunching showing under your street clothes if you wear the outfit underneath."

"No one's going to believe this. How can you disguise someone with a pair of glasses?!? We're just tilting at windmills here." He felt slightly defeated. He'd known Lex for so long… there was no way Lex wouldn't recognize him.

"It's all about hiding something in plain sight," she soothed. "The best part is that if you pull some Velma moments, it'll be all the better." Clark choked back a guffaw. Who would have thought Chloe would take costuming tips from Scooby Doo?

"I think you're right, dear," Martha said with a smile. "Let me go find some options. The glasses shouldn't be too obnoxious and at least partially in style. I'm thinking black rimmed…" she muttered all her way up the stairs.

Chloe giggled. "Man, when that woman gets an idea in her head…"

"Remind you of someone?" he teased.

She just rolled her eyes at him. "OK, so P.I. is out. What other profession could you be where you have to wear a suit every day…? Accountant?"

Clark shook his head. "I did decent in math, but no one would believe that…"

She shrugged. "Businessman?"

"It'd put me too close to Lex. We need something that I would normally do that's not to close to helping people… What about a journalist?"

Chloe laughed helplessly. "A j…j…journalist? Are you kidding?"

He looked at her as if she'd just smacked him across the face. "Why not? I used to work at the Torch…"

"You only worked at the Torch 'cause I made you… I've been trying to get you interested, but you've been resisting me, so why do you suddenly think that's your best option?" She put her hand on his arm. "Listen, it's not that you wrote poorly… It was fine for a high school paper… but you've never been concerned about digging for a story and deadlines were never your first priority."

"But I…"

"Listen… You know I love you… like a brother," she blushed before continuing, "but the news world would eat you alive! We can figure out something else… something you'd thrive in while giving you the flexibility you'll need to take off at a moment's notice. I'm thinking something at home…" He wanted to open his mouth and protest, but nothing came out. Her voice felt like it was coming from further away and he just wanted to scream at the inconvenience of it all. He could feel himself rocking back and forth on his feet. Chloe broke off her rambling and noticed his predicament. "You could have said something," she said wryly. Then looking at his face, she shrugged and pushed him down on the sofa. "Maybe not… but you should have more concern for your mom's stuff. _You're_ indestructible, but we nearly had a Clark-sized dent in the kitchen floor!" He would have laughed but not only could he not seem to say anything, it felt like he was whizzing down a long tunnel until Chloe was only a pinprick of light… and then gone. His last thought was how he'd do anything to protect her…

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A/N: For those of you who are wondering who "Andrea" is, she's the vigilante in the episode "Vengeance." It was when they were doing the Acuvue plugging.**_

_Krystina 87: My plan is definitely to keep the updates going. Now that I have more free time, I think it'll happen more consistently! ;D_

_markmark261: I know… It's starting to get old. That's why… Oh, wait… Can't spoil it, right? Muwahahahaha!_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The loft seemed approximately the same as the last time he'd been there. The hidden compartment was still there and black-rimmed glasses sat on his nightstand. It seemed a lot more masculine than before, but he had to shrug. And for some reason, a stylized "S" was on the suit, which looked otherwise the same. It looked a lot like the one he'd made in shop class, but why would he put that on his suit? Does it stand for "Smallville"? "Sexy"? "Silly outfit"? Or did he really intend for it to be the kryptonian symbol for "hope"? Who knew what happened in his life to make him choose whatever he did?

He zipped through the apartment getting ready for the new day and double-checking for any possible snipers in the area. He would do anything rather than have Chloe die in his arms again. When he was dressed and the area was secured, he fixed up Chloe's favorite omelet. He was expecting her at any moment, but when ten minutes passed and there was absolutely no sign of her, he started to get worried. Rather than sit there and wait for her, he decided to go to the Daily Planet. Even if she didn't work there now, she had. Maybe someone there would know… and if not, he could call his mother. But the one thing he couldn't do was consider the possibility that she could be dead. They'd gone through too much already to have that be the case!

In moments, he stood before the Planet's entrance looking up at the globe. As he stood there, a sense of rightness filled him as it had a few other times in his life. _This is where I belong_, he thought with a smile. It was a nice secure feeling. _Now I know why Chloe would do anything to work here._

"Hello, Mr. Kent," a man said as he passed him. He turned and looked at him curiously. They knew him? So did that really mean that he worked there?

"Hi there, Clark," a pretty woman said as she rushed past. "You won't forget that you owe me that lunch, will you?"

"O…Of course not?" he hesitated. He sincerely hoped they weren't scheduled for today or he was going to bumble all over himself with not knowing his name. "I guess I'd better get going."

"Yeah, you should. Perry will have a fit if you don't get your cute butt up there," she said with a smile and wink before she launched herself into a cab.

He turned to go back into the office with a shake of his head. It seemed impossible that people in this huge city, let alone the Daily Planet of all places, would know him by name. "Hey, Kent." "Talk to you later, Clark." "Mr. Kent! It's so nice to see you!" He felt bombard from each side by all these strangers who weren't really strangers. But if he was going to find Chloe, he needed to start somewhere.

He walked up to the Information Booth. "Hi there," he said with a hesitant smile.

The security guard looked at him in surprise. "Mr. Kent! Ya' need somethin'?"

"Um, yes… Does Chloe Sullivan still work here?" He was certain he sounded like an imbecile, but if he didn't ask the question, he'd never know.

"Of course she does. Mr. White would never can her. He knows how you feel about that…" The guard was trying to be ingratiating, but he definitely had his curiosity peeked.

"Good… good… Where could I find her?"

The guard went pale. "F…find her? Mr. Kent, sir. You're not going to try again are you?"

"What are you talking about?" Clark demanded. This was getting weirder by the minute.

He hadn't thought it was possible, but the guard paled even further. "Um, nothing, sir. She'll be up at the top floor, where your office is, of course."

Clark thanked the guard and smiled on his way to the elevator. Maybe he and Chloe worked together again. Really, they'd made the best investigative team in high school. She was the brains and he was the muscle. He entered the elevator and grooved satisfactorily to the musak playing. He was glad he was alone, but he was so happy that he worked with Chloe to help protect her _and_ that she was still alive was too good to be true.

He strode out with purpose when the doors finally opened. Before he'd taken two steps, he'd slammed into a young man with a stack of papers. The boy fell painfully to the floor and the papers created a surreal blizzard effect around them. "C.K.!" the boy gasped when he looked up. "I'm so sorry!"

Clark laughed. "Why are you sorry? I'm the one who wasn't watching where I was going." The young man looked to be about thirteen with a shock of reddish blonde hair that seemed to stand straight up. He had an open face that he found both intriguing and familiar. He shook it off. _This kid wasn't even thought of in my time,_ he thought with a shock. _There's no way I could know him!_ He bent down and quickly helped gather the papers up together. "Hey, do you know where I could find Chloe Sullivan's desk?"

"C.K.!" he gasped again and Clark wondered facetiously if he'd knocked asthma into the boy. "Are you sure…? I mean last time was a nightmare! The whole building talked about it for months!"

Clark frowned. "Of course I'm sure. She's my best friend. I have to talk to her."

The kid swallowed hard and pointed into the busy press room. "Her desk is right by Perry's office… but do me a favor, wouldja? Wait five minutes for me to get out of the immediate vicinity? Maybe out of the building?" He scuttled away as if there were a pack of rabid dogs at his heels.

_What the heck is going on here?_ he wondered as he strode into the newsroom. People greeted him from the right and left. It was starting to feel too much like they were kissing up to him and he had no idea why that would be happening. He'd never liked that before. Did he now? _Chloe'll know_, he thought, adding it to his mental list of things to ask her.

It didn't take him long to find Perry's office. It was straight through the newsroom with its own private lobby. He was a little shocked to see that Perry White had become editor of the Planet. He'd been an unscrupulous tabloid reporter the last time he'd seen him. It was amazing that he'd bounced back so far. Standing right in front of the door was the person he'd been searching for. "Chloe!" he said a little louder than he'd intended. He was shocked when her only reply was a frosty glare.

As if terrorists had just entered the immediate area, all sound ceased. He looked around him and noticed that everyone was staring at them in horror and most were surreptitiously edging toward the elevator and emergency exits. "What's wrong with everyone?"

"I told you to never talk to me again," she hissed. He turned back to her and venom pierced him from her eyes.

"You… Never… What?" He really didn't understand what was wrong with her. Had he embarrassed her somehow lately? Why in the world would she be mad at him? He lowered his voice to try and get them out of public notice. "Look, Chlo. I'm sorry… Whatever I did, I swear I won't do it ever again. But you're my best friend… I have to talk to you…"

He trailed off as her eyes froze him to the spot. It felt like she was searching for something. He couldn't help her… he couldn't even explain. If they were overheard, the questions would be too much for him to handle. Suddenly, all the anger and starch that filled her drained away and left her just looking tired and defeated. Released from her stare, he looked about him curiously and noticed that her name was on the desk in front of Perry's office. _What does that mean?_ he wondered, his mind whirling in circles.

An older version of the drunk suddenly appeared behind Chloe. "Clark!" he boomed.

"Mr. White… Uh, I'm sorry I'm late?"

"Perry, son… Perry! How many times do I have to tell my star reporter that he doesn't have to be all formal with me?" Perry slapped him heartily on the back. "How was… Bermuda, wasn't it?"

"F…fine?" Clark knew he had to get Chloe alone somewhere soon. Something was terribly wrong. "Um, do you mind if I borrow Chloe for a moment, sir?"

"Who?" The blank look on Perry's face didn't reassure him. In fact, it filled him with a strange and quiet dread.

"Uhhh… Ms. Sullivan?"

Perry looked at her blankly for a minute before realization dawned. "Oh, I suppose, Clark. Sullivan, you'll assist him for the rest of the day." He walked off, blissfully unaware of the death ray glare Chloe was leveling at him.

He gulped hard. "Um, Chlo… Do you… I mean… Is there a quiet place for us to talk?"

She shook her head and sighed. "Come on, Clark. Gotta' get you out of your spotlight…" He followed her to the end of the foyer and found another door bearing his name. He glanced into the newsroom and noticed everyone looking at him sadly… like he'd signed his own death warrant. "Stop gawking like a farmboy and get in here." He followed his instructions and staggered to a halt at the plush digs in front of him. Chloe looked to the heavens in supplication before she shoved him fully in the room and shut the door behind him.

"This is…? This is mine???" It was richly furnished with artifacts from all over the world. It seemed even nicer to him than Lex's library.

"Yes, Clark. It's yours. You've made quite a place for yourself," she snarled.

"Listen… I'm not sure you'll believe me, but I don't know what's going on here. Why are you giving me such a hard time? We're both working at the Planet…" She stared at him in shock and he trailed off. What had he said this time?

She sank to a leather armchair. "I know you don't understand. But I've been betrayed by the body you reside in and I'm not really comfortable… This isn't easy, Clark."

He sat beside her, leaned forward, and pleaded, "Please… I don't know what I've done or why you're mad at me… I'm sure there was a good… Could you tell me what happened?"

She swallowed hard and looked at him with eyes full of pain, sorrow, and unfulfilled dreams. "Our plan worked up to a point. Everyone's safe and Lex still hasn't gained the presidency. While this isn't some weird utopia, you've become an inspiration for the downtrodden and the common man. You fight for truth, justice, and the American way. It's just…" She shook her head. "You're a successful journalist, obviously. Everything's worked out for you."

He saw a tear trail down her face and brushed it away. She flinched away from his touch, but allowed him to finish. "Why are you so angry at me? What did I do to you?"

"You got into the Planet by reporting about Superman… and you've hogged every article since!" she spat out. "No other reporter has had a chance since then. I never had a chance. Never had a chance to be that light for others you were _so_ concerned about." She got up and started pacing about the room. "I tried my best… I wrote about what I was so familiar with… individuals with powers… special powers. But they were considered inflammatory and derivative. I was canned shortly after you started here. They wouldn't even let me stay in the obits…"

"But you're here now. Mr. White must have given you a second chance 'cause he'd been given one." Clark wasn't certain, but he certainly hoped that was what had happened.

She laughed bitterly. "Yeah, that's what it was. Are you totally insane? I got my job as White's secretary because I knew too much of the dark days. That and you insisted I work here. You've been so paranoid about my death that you won't allow me any breathing room. My own personal knight in blue armor," she snarled.

"But what's so wrong with that? You're still alive. You're at the Planet. You don't have to face any danger because of me…"

"That's what you always thought… That if you smothered me to death, I'd be safe and happy forever. It was worse than having an overprotective parent." She shrugged. "I picked absolutely the worst time to rebel."

That sounded so odd, he had to ask. "Rebel? Did you get in trouble?"

She laughed again, an odd defeated laugh that he hated to hear. "Get in trouble? Yeah, you could say that. I never told you about Jimmy Olsen, did I?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Who's he?"

"He is… was… my husband." She swallowed hard. "He was a photographer for the Planet and we'd hooked up sophomore year, but we lost touch. After freshman year at college, he was back and we started seeing each other again." She sighed. "It was obvious that you were never going to see me as anything other than a pretty porcelain doll on a shelf, so I had to move on… but I got pregnant. You made him marry me… and that was okay, for awhile. Then the day I was disgraced, I found him at home with Junior's nanny. Pretty much rounded out a rotten day."

"I… I'm sorry," he whispered. He wondered briefly why it felt like she'd just stabbed him with a sharp piece of kryptonite.

She shrugged again. "Junior's a good kid. He even works here…"

A sudden realization dawned on him. "Blonde kid with red streaks that looks like he put his finger in a light socket?"

She smiled, the first genuine he'd seen this time. "You've met him? Yeah, that's the one thing I don't regret. Junior's going to be a great reporter… maybe in Gotham or something. He'll make it where I never did."

He gulped, "I'm really sor…"

"Can it!" she bit out. "I don't want to hear it. I know you don't want to hear this, but I'm not going to be able to stand being around you much longer. You represent everything bad that's happened to me in the last fifteen years. Let me just… Here's the rundown so I can get the hell out of here. You're the symbol of hope that I told you the world needs. Check. Martha's having a fabulous time in Smallville. I think she started a ceramics company that seems to be doing well on the web. Check. Lex… well, I mentioned that he hasn't made it to President… yet. I think he will eventually, but you'll be around to intimidate him enough to tow the line. Check. I don't know how this happened, but Pete and Lana got married seven years ago. It was a total shock, but they're safe, so check. Lois joined the Special Forces and the General has never been happier. Check."

"That's great," he said woodenly. As much as he was glad that everything turned out the way he wanted, there was something missing and he was crying inside for it.

"Isn't it though?" she said just as woodenly. Tears started flowing again. "Now just go back to your own time, Clark. I know you're relieved that things turned out just the way you wanted." Before he could say another word, she slammed out of his office.

He sank into the chair behind his desk and stared unseeing at Metropolis that was laid out beneath him. _I should be happy,_ he told himself scathingly. _Everything… well, almost everything turned out the way I wanted. Everyone's safe and fairly happy. The world seems to be in good shape. My disguise is holding so I'm able to help lots of people. I have a job that isn't so impossible to believe that I'd be running out whenever an emergency cropped up and I have access to breaking world events. But why do I feel like my heart has just been ripped out of my chest?_

He sighed. With Chloe in that secretarial position, it was unlikely that she'd manage to put herself in any danger… and not being friends with him also increased the safety barrier. He sighed as things faded to black. _But if she's not in my life, what was the difference to when she was my friend and dead?_ He wondered briefly if he really was that selfish.

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A/N: Oooo! Nice long one! Three more chapters to go.**_

_markmark261: So what did you think?!? No deaths… ;D And I'm absolutely going to have to read "Erase"._

_Paradocks: Well, like I said. I'm going to get better at the whole timely updating thing!_

_Krystina87: Thanks so much! Of all the things I want to do, keeping true to the characters or how I see the characters is the big one!_


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N:** My, how this is flying by. Nearly done... Are you sad?_

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Chapter 18

He sat up with a start, startling Chloe enough that she slid off the couch onto the floor. "Ooof!" she exhaled.

"Sorry," he muttered. He could feel her staring at him expectantly. Even more than before when he had been reporting her death, he was reluctant to report on this future. He looked at her and sighed.

"Dead again?" she said reluctantly. He didn't blame her because no one wanted to think that their death was assured before they hit 35.

He shook his head. He was going to have to give an edited version. "Nope. You were fine. Everyone seems to be in a good place…"

"Then what's wrong?" she asked insightfully.

He stood up. "I just can't… I… It's… It's too much. I gotta' go for a walk." Without another word he headed straight for the door and out it. He knew he'd left Chloe with her mouth hanging open in shock, but he couldn't tell her that she'd thought he'd ruined his life and they couldn't even talk anymore… that she hated him. He made his way up to the loft and collapsed on the sofa. His heart was hurting for some unknown reason and it just seemed to intensify when she was around. He was out of options on how to affect the future. Would a semi-perfect world really be worth it if Chloe was in it and hated him? Plus, what about the shiny future his father had mentioned? He'd torn that from her...

He wasn't surprised when he heard footsteps on the stairs. "I'm sorry, Chlo. I just don't want to talk about it for a minute…"

"You could have just told her that," his mother's voice said with a bit of censure. "We've all been up all night. It was uncalled for, Clark."

He sighed. "I know, Mom."

She looked at him and sighed herself. "What happened, Clark? What's so terrible that you can't talk to Chloe about it?"

"It was mostly like I'd described… We both worked at the Planet, but… Well, she worked as a secretary there because I'd hogged all the stories about my exploits. I kinda' hope I did it to keep her safe, rather than I was digging the glory." He looked at his mother, his eyes filled with his conflicting feelings. "She said that I'd smothered her like an overprotective parent. She had a kid by another guy. I made them get married when she got pregnant and then he had an affair. She hates me… I don't think I can blame her for that."

A piercing look was all that faced him. Suddenly she laughed and he had to frown. What had brought that on? "You've been through a lot today, Clark. I don't think anyone's asked you what you want for the future. What does your perfect future hold?"

He was kind of shocked by such a direct question… but knew he couldn't be flippant… not now. He really thought about it. "With our friends, the world, and my powers, everything seemed pretty good. It may not have been perfect, but people seemed happy. It's just that…" He took a deep breath. "I feel like I'd stolen her destiny away from her. She's supposed to be some sort of clear light to illuminate the world, but I took that. I want her happy and alive… but I also just want her around…" He faltered as a light went off in his brain. This was more than just losing his best friend. If her husband had been a great guy that he'd admired, he still would have felt like something precious had been stolen from him. He looked at his mother, almost afraid to admit it.

She just smiled at him patiently. "What?"

"I think I have feelings for her… I may lo…" He gulped. "Mom, I love her."

She smiled. "I know that, honey. But what do you plan on doing about it?"

"I… I should tell her… She should know…" He got up to run into the house, but his mom restrained him with a hand on his arm.

"You just broke up with Lana," she reminded.

"But that was just…" He didn't know how to explain it, but knew he had to try. "Lana was like the girl all the guys had crushes on. And somehow… miraculously… she liked me. I do love her… I probably always will. But that's your first crush… your first love." He thought about Chloe and he felt expanded. "Chloe is my best friend. I've always been able to talk to her about anything and everything. If I need help, she's always there…"

"So you just feel grateful to her?" she probed.

"No… That's not it. She's like my other half. If she hadn't told me she just wanted to be friends after the tornado, we may have been dating then and now. But in a way, I appreciate the time where we were just friends because it makes me appreciate her so much more. I love her… I really do."

Martha smiled, but a little sadly. "Why do you feel like you have to tell her right now… right this second?"

He thought about it. "If I tell her now, she's going to think she's the rebound girl… or I'm just doing it because she's going to die in the future and this is the only way I can think of to protect her, won't she?" She shrugged and he sighed in defeat. "I guess that's it, then."

She rolled her eyes. "Son, you don't have to give up so easily. Jonathan and I didn't raise someone who would quit at the smallest sign of difficulty. You've been given a great gift. You've been shown what your future could hold and it's illuminated your feelings." She laughed. "You've always been a thoughtful boy, so now you have to be a thoughtful man. You're going to have to work up to it gradually. It might take awhile, but in the end, it'll be worth it. I promise. There's nothing like marrying your best friend."

A tear coursed down her porcelain cheek and he realized what his mother had just told him. _She and Dad had that kind of relationship,_ he thought with a smile. He pulled her into a hug of thanks and comfort. _If Chloe and I end up half as happy as them, then it'll all be worth it._ She sniffed and Clark laughed. "Good thing flannel is absorbent, isn't it?"

"Don't be silly," she said as she wiped her tears on his shirt. "We'd better go on in. Chloe's probably worried sick."

They walked into the house slowly. Clark had been tempted to rush in, but didn't want to push his mother. As soon as the door was closed a 5'2" ball of energy pounced right in front of him. "OK, out with it, Kent. How'd I die this time? Am I going to have to create a fashion of Kevlar outfits? Mini-skirts and baby-Tees?"

He laughed and pulled her into a hug. "I'm serious. You didn't die. We both work at the Planet. Perry White's the editor, which I thought bizarre, but who am I to deny redemption?"

She broke out of his arms, her eyes sparking with excitement. "Really? Really really? I don't die AND I work at the Planet?" She started to dance around the room, unable to restrain her celebration.

He watched her cavort around the room with a smile. Few people in this world were as truly dear to him as she was. Really, he could count them on one hand. He felt a sense of peace surround him… Unfortunately, it was quickly replaced by the vertigo. "Not now," he muttered under his breath. He'd much rather stay with the two women in his life and celebrate… but he wasn't certain he had a choice. So, mindful of Chloe's previous admonition, he made his way to the couch and laid down. He'd never fit the couch properly, but this way he wouldn't topple over awkwardly. The whole thing was a bit odd. _You'd think if they have so much power they could make it a little easier to transition… At least I could control the actual sleep part this time…_

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A/N: I feel like I'm falling behind here. Oy! Seriously!!! But it's getting there. **_

_GypseyGrl77: Welcome, welcome!!! There really isn't a "point", per se. I had a dream one night that Clark kept jumping from one reality to another and I thought wouldn't it be a great way for him to realize that he has great purpose and decide exactly what he wants his future to be? After all, it really seems that "Smallville" has made Clark lose his path. He's direction-less with apparently no intention of going back to school. How in the world does he decide to do that? And why did he decide to go into journalism? I just thought this might wrap up some strings in my head… ;D_

_markmark261: I love the idea of Pete & Lana ending up together. It's absolutely canon and gets Lana out of Clark's hair. I mean, how much more can you love an idea?_

_Krystina87: Well, here's to hoping, right? Nah… I love happy endings and rarely write something where that **doesn't** happen! ;D_


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N:**__ Well, I hope you like this one 'cause there's only one chapter left. Are you excited? Disappointed? Thankful that my ramblings have finally come to a close?_

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Chapter 19

A buzzing sound sounded as if it had been implanted in his ear and Clark's eyes snapped open in shock. He turned and noticed an alarm clock on the nightstand right by him. _An alarm clock? That's new…_ He was just about to address it when a pale arm reached across him and slapped it off. He snapped his eyes shut in horror. _Am I back to the beginning?_ A warm body snuggled up to him and he knew he had to know… By his calculations, he only had two more chances. He cracked his eyes opened and pale blonde hair was tickling his nose.

He sat straight up in shock and the head bounced off the mattress. He scooted off the bed, taking the sheet with him just to be safe. "Clark, what is your problem? I was perfectly comfortable there…"

"Chloe?" he gasped. "Why are you here?"

"I know it's bad luck, but I never sleep as well without you," she pouted.

"Bad luck?"

"I know you never wake up at your best, sweetie, but this is taking it a bit far. You know… bad luck for the bride to see the groom… And I don't care what the traditionalist say, I'm still wearing white."

He wondered if he should be feeling horror, but the joy was too overwhelming. She was alive… They were talking… and apparently more. "Oh, right," he said grinning. "Right. I knew that… So what time do we need to be there?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Clark Kent, don't you dare think you're going to go flying off and I leave me to hope you'll make it back on time. The guys promised."

Now he felt even more confused. "The guys?"

An eyebrow cocked in his direction. "Wally, Oliver, Bruce, and A.C.?" she explained as if to a forgetful two year old. "They can keep the world safe until we're back from our honeymoon. They said it was their gift to us." She looked at him, suddenly vulnerable. "You're not having second thoughts, are you? You're not using some global emergency as an excuse to run away?"

"Never," he blushed hotly. _It's my wedding day,_ he thought in shock. _My wedding to Chloe! How different could it be from the last dream?!?_

Chloe chuckled seductively. "Damn but I love watching you do that, Mr. Kent." She climbed up onto her knees and drew him closer. He was almost thankful that she had some pajamas… Wait? Was that one of his flannel shirts?

He knew he had to get himself under control. "Chlo, just give me a sec, wouldja? I'm not fully awake yet… I need…" He trailed off. What did he need? How could he wrap his mind around this? Especially considering how adorable she looked. But he was only nineteen. Marriage seemed like such a fantasy right now… especially with everything that had been happening in the last year.

Chloe stopped her teasing and looked at him seriously. "Okay, spill. What's wrong?"

He stared at her for a moment and then it hit him. He'd never… not ever… seen anything so beautiful in his life. Her trademark blonde hair was in total disarray around her face and she had on her interrogation look. She looked better in his shirt than anything else he could picture her in. Already visions of what their life could be like together flooded through his mind. He smiled. "Absolutely nothing is wrong," he said with conviction. He sat back down on the bed and kissed her hand. "I love you very much," he admitted. _At least she won't be thinking I'm on the rebound,_ he thought with a widening of his smile.

She smoothed his hair away from his eyes and smiled tenderly. Clark felt blinded by it and his heart pounded within his chest. "That's always nice to hear… and one of the best ways to wake up." She leaned forward and kissed him. Clark's breath caught in his throat and he stilled completely until the shock broke and he kissed her with a passion that surprised even him. When they finally separated, they were both panting and she looked a little confused. "You haven't kissed me like that…" she pierced him with another look. "Is today the day…? The dream day?"

He smiled again and shrugged. "Yeah, but so what?"

Her eyes widened and her hands fluttered up to her chest. "And you… you love me? Really?"

She looked so shaken that Clark kissed her gently. "I really do."

"Have you this whole…?"

He shrugged. "I can only tell you what I know at 19. I don't know what's happened to us between then and now."

"But why did you take so long? Ten years, Clark!" She was too shocked to get mad, but Clark didn't want to push it.

"I didn't want you to think you were second best… and I didn't want to impose on you. You know, make you feel like you have to be with me…" He shrugged again. His reasons still seemed important, but not at this moment in time.

Her eyes lit up and she started to laugh. She gave him a big hug. "Well, it may have taken longer than I would have preferred, but how can I be mad? Now I know for an absolute positive how you feel."

He matched her smile. "I'm glad you know. It's going to be hard when I get back…" He looked at her seriously. "You do know that Mom's the one who told me to wait, right? I mean, I could go back and…"

Chloe thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. "You're probably right. The Lana thing was too fresh and how would I know if you were only doing it to keep me safe somehow?"

"But maybe we won't have to wait fifteen years…"

She smiled. "We started dating five ago, so only ten count…"

He held her hands earnestly. "But what if I…?"

She freed a hand and laid a finger on his lips. "No."

He was shocked. "No? But all that…?"

"No." She smiled and he could see no regret in her eyes. "The last five years have been a dream. Sure, we've had our troubles, but there was a process. And if you change things now? Well, we wouldn't be able to know if it would alter something really important. I don't mind waiting. We were still friends and partners at work. It's been a really good run…"

He thought about it. She made a lot of sense. Even the little changes they'd made held huge consequences in the future… even just attitude changes. But he couldn't imagine loving Chloe any less. "You're sure?" She nodded and he sighed. "Okay. So when did you know that you…?"

"Loved you?" She giggled. "You can be so dense, you know? I've known… Well, forever how I felt about you. Nearly from the moment I met you. You have a way about you, farm boy?" She winked. "You and I both had our flings, I suppose. I was a little worried about yours… especially when Lori hit the scene…"

"What?" he exclaimed.

"Whoops!" She blushed. "Nevermind. But they never got truly serious… just like mine weren't. Boy, you had some jealousy streaks there for a bit," she chuckled evilly.

"And you didn't?" he teased. She shrugged. "So, what's been going on here? Is it everything we hoped for?"

She smiled. "You know, if you'd tell me exactly what I said after the dreams, I wouldn't have to go over it and over it…" He groaned in supplication and she took pity on him. "Martha's become quite the internet sensation with her ceramics. I think she got bored when you left and started making pottery and stuff. It's pretty incredible. She gave us that one on our engagement."

She pointed toward a beautiful flattened clay bowl that hung on the wall. It was painted blue and had the kryptonian symbol for "love" painted on it. "Wow!" was the only thing he could manage.

She grinned. "I know! Lois has been trying to buy it off us for two months! And talking about Lois… she joined… are you ready for this? The Special Forces!" She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "She was that last time too? Oh, well. She's become quite the terror for all the terrorists. If they hear she's in their vicinity, they start having nightmares." She giggled. "There's just something so right about her being in the military…"

"Well, she always knew exactly the procedures to pull…"

"And she could always get me military surplus equipment…" Chloe smiled at his surprise. "Did you honestly think I'd gotten that stuff in my Beetle from a military surplus store?" She rolled her eyes at his naivety and went on. "Pete and Lana…"

"Got married? Again?" He laughed. "How in the world did that happen?"

"I'm not exactly how they met… Lana and I lost touch shortly after you guys had broken up. But then one day… about seven years ago, we got an announcement for their first born. We were totally shocked, but they'd kept the wedding under wraps. I think Pete was worried you'd be jealous… or try and win her back. He really loves her, you know…"

He shrugged. "Pete always did love beauty for beauty's sake. And he'd totally dote on her, which is all she's ever really wanted."

She smiled but then it dropped from her face. "Lex… Lex has been a thorn in our side since… well, for quite some time now. He's quite the undercover crime kingpin. We haven't been able to connect him with anything obvious, but it's only a matter of time. He's trying to convince everyone he's on the up-and-up… AND he's running for President with Pete as his running mate. I was totally flabbergasted. Maybe all this time has made Pete forget what he's really like… I'm a little worried about that, but there's no guarantee."

"If he wins, we'll just have to keep our eyes peeled. And we can trust Pete to keep an eye on things." Clark caressed her hand. Her hand was so smooth and the touch of it was causing his blood to race. "What about your career?"

She laughed. "You mean our careers? We're partners at the Planet. Between us, we somehow get all the stories about Superman… It's like we have an in or something…" She grinned. "I wasn't thrilled at first. I'd thought you were happy at the Smallville Ledger and then one day you show up with an article about yourself in a costume and I knew I never stood a chance. I'd worked up to be a fairly prestigious reporter, and then you swooped in… but you made sure that it was spaced out a bit. Perry loves us. We definitely make a great team… have for years." She kissed him… and his pulse went on overdrive. In fact, he realized that he may make a fool of himself if he didn't move soon.

He stood up. "It's great that everything seems to have worked out to the best. We should probably get ready soon… Why don't I make breakfast?"

She gasped and tugged him back to the bed. "Are you kidding? While I've enjoyed our little convo, future Chloe/past Clark style, I'm not going to let you experience it quite this soon. The last thing I need is a jittery friend for the next fifteen years…" She crawled back under the covers, dragging him with her. "Why don't we just catch a quick nap? 'Cause I'm not letting you sleep much tonight, Mr. Kent."

He blushed deeply but had a huge grin on. After all, that _**was**_ what the wedding night was for. He settled back against the pillows and she flipped the covers back over them both. Then she snuggled up tight against him and was back asleep… almost before he was totally relaxed. He couldn't sleep quite so easily. The events she was willing to talk about kept whirling around in his head. He actually could be a journalist and have Chloe. He didn't know the trials they'd gone through but was willing to tough it out. The world still had its problems and Lex had still gone terribly wrong somehow, but he found himself supremely happy. He had his best friend and the woman of his dreams by his side. How could he do anything but triumph? He yawned and stretched. His eyes fluttered down against his cheek and he was asleep again.

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A/N:** This is my penultimate chapter… the one that I would have been waiting for… I hope it was worth the wait! _

Krystina87: I absolutely agree that I would love some Chlark in "Smallville", but the options of that happening, especially with Lois on the scene, are slim to none. But that doesn't stop the dream. I am glad you're still enjoying my work, though! ;D

Jen: So glad you liked it.

markmark261: I'm so glad you liked this last chappie. It's getting harder and harder as the show continues to keep dreaming my Charlky dreams, but I guess I have my opinions on what would be good. ;D Well, I think if I hadn't had Clark head her off with a report that she's working at the Planet in the future, which is her lifelong goal, distracted her for a bit. After she calmed down, she might have questioned him more closely, but he wasn't there for that to happen and I don't really see her interrogating Martha.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N:** This is uber-short. More than a chapter, it's truly an epilogue…_

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Chapter 20

He opened his eyes and it was like no time at all had passed. Chloe was still dancing about, singing "I get to work at the Planet!" while his mother just watched with a smile on her lips. Clark watched her all bemused for a moment and just shook his head. He had no idea why this time was so different from the others, but he was more than happy with the fact he hadn't freaked everyone out again. He wasn't certain how he was going to do it, but he was going to make Chloe as happy as he possibly could. It was nice to have a few landmarks to shoot for… but he had to remember to live… Not by some arbitrary schedule, but to the fullest. That was the goal.

As he watched her cavort, he was kinda surprised when everything seemed to slow down suddenly. He looked around and realized that the only thing moving at normal speed was him. It was almost as if he'd popped his super-speed into gear, but he was still lying on the couch. When he turned back, Jonathan Kent was standing before him. "You did good, son. They're really happy with your decisions."

"Am I dreaming?" Clark choked. It was getting really spooky how his dad kept popping up.

Jonathan shrugged. "What is a dream? I know that the last 24 hours have been really hard on you, but you needed a plan and a way to rid yourself of some baggage. Although, you may have been happy with Lois…" Clark gasped and his dad winked. "I know… You never would have forgiven yourself if Chloe had died and you could have possibly prevented it. Just enjoy yourself… I'll be watching…"

"Will I see you again?"

He shrugged again. "Who knows what the future holds?" he laughed. He turned and looked sadly at Martha.

"But wait!" Clark exclaimed as a sudden thought occurred to him. "What about the last two dreams? It's only been like 20-ish hours. I thought it was supposed to be a full 24."

Jonathan turned to look at his son, but Clark could see he was already fading. "Who said it wasn't?" With that, he was gone and time seemed to return to normal.

Clark's mind boggled, but he knew that this was really the perfect future for him… a future with a friend and partner who would push him to be better than he was. It didn't matter if some nebulous PTB thought so... He did. Now he just had to figure out how to get there. A huge yawn caught him in its grip and he laid back on the sofa. His eyes closed for a moment and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, his mind full of plans for his future…

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A/N: You know, it's always sad when a story ends. It's like saying goodbye to a child, really. This is truly only one of two non-sequel-able stories I've created. But there have been some gaps that I really wanted to answer. AAAANNNDDD I've got some wish-fulfillment that I absolutely needed in the extreme. I've heard the next season will be developing the Clois storyline and I find that almost disturbing… but I don't write for "Smallville". I just have to enjoy it where I can and write little fics that fix what I think of as their errors. ;D I hope you enjoyed it.**_

_markmark261: I'm glad you liked the chapter, at least. Yeah, the comic book nods, well, that's how most people got turned on to Superman through the comics… or maybe the movies… they're very important to me. But then I'm picky that way. It's one of the reasons why "Smallville" is currently driving me insane. But I'm alright… seriously… I don't need the men in the white coats to come and visit me… ;D_

_CSLUVSCK: I'm so glad you liked it. I love it when a good story can come out of a random dream. I do have more "Smallville" fics planned, but I'm also trying to broaden my horizons with other shows. They're not quite as successful as these ones, but maybe that's because for one, I've just started watching the show… ;D_

_Krystina87: Thank you so much for your enthusiasm. It just makes me happy! ;D_


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